Kanawha County bar and gambling parlor owners blame the county's 4-month-old smoking ban for a recent sales slump.

But new figures from the West Virginia Lottery provide some hope that things might be turning around.

At Kanawha County's 150 bars and gambling parlors, video slot machine sales inched up 2 percent - or $247,000 - last month compared to September, according to Lottery data released this week. 

It's the second month that video lottery sales - the amount of money customers pump into the machines - have increased slightly in the county since the smoking ban took effect July 1.

"We predicted a dip, then a recovery," said Stephen Weber, a Kanawha-Charleston health board member. "That's what happened in the rest of the country, and it's starting to come back here."

Statewide, limited video lottery sales increased 4.5 percent in October after a decline the previous month. Video lottery revenue - the amount the bars receive after the state takes its share - also increased slightly in both Kanawha County and across the state.

Kanawha County video lottery sales, which include all gambling machines except those at Tri-State Racetrack & Gaming Center, still haven't returned to pre-smoking ban levels.

For instance, poker machine sales were off 7 percent last month compared to October 2007.

"If you want to make a true comparison, you compare 2008 to 2007," said Jesse Bane, spokesman with the West Virginia Association of Club Owners & Fraternal Services. "The facts are simple. Between this year and last year, video lottery sales are down, and it has to be the smoking ban."

At recent meetings, Kanawha County bar and gambling parlor owners have railed against the smoking ban, saying it has devastated their businesses. Bar owners have urged Kanawha-Charleston Board of Health members to rescind the regulations.

Board members have refused. They predict and gambling parlor business will rebound in time - in about six months.

Bar owners also have worried that the Health Department's recent enforcement actions might hurt sales.

Last month, the department filed misdemeanor charges against six Kanawha County bars and gambling parlors that allegedly allowed smoking in violation of the ban.

Reach Eric Eyre at erice...@wvgazette.com or 348-4869.

Kanawha County bar and gambling parlor owners blame the county's 4-month-old smoking ban for a recent sales slump.

But new figures from the West Virginia Lottery provide some hope that things might be turning around.

At Kanawha County's 150 bars and gambling parlors, video slot machine sales inched up 2 percent - or $247,000 - last month compared to September, according to Lottery data released this week. 

It's the second month that video lottery sales - the amount of money customers pump into the machines - have increased slightly in the county since the smoking ban took effect July 1.

"We predicted a dip, then a recovery," said Stephen Weber, a Kanawha-Charleston health board member. "That's what happened in the rest of the country, and it's starting to come back here."

Statewide, limited video lottery sales increased 4.5 percent in October after a decline the previous month. Video lottery revenue - the amount the bars receive after the state takes its share - also increased slightly in both Kanawha County and across the state.

Kanawha County video lottery sales, which include all gambling machines except those at Tri-State Racetrack & Gaming Center, still haven't returned to pre-smoking ban levels.

For instance, poker machine sales were off 7 percent last month compared to October 2007.

"If you want to make a true comparison, you compare 2008 to 2007," said Jesse Bane, spokesman with the West Virginia Association of Club Owners & Fraternal Services. "The facts are simple. Between this year and last year, video lottery sales are down, and it has to be the smoking ban."

At recent meetings, Kanawha County bar and gambling parlor owners have railed against the smoking ban, saying it has devastated their businesses. Bar owners have urged Kanawha-Charleston Board of Health members to rescind the regulations.

Board members have refused. They predict and gambling parlor business will rebound in time - in about six months.

Bar owners also have worried that the Health Department's recent enforcement actions might hurt sales.

Last month, the department filed misdemeanor charges against six Kanawha County bars and gambling parlors that allegedly allowed smoking in violation of the ban.

Reach Eric Eyre at erice...@wvgazette.com or 348-4869.