Beginning January 1st, the statewide indoor smoking ban will extend to casinos.

Some casinos in Colorado's three mountain gambling towns are installing outdoor heaters or wind guards on patios to accommodate smokers.

The towns have acted too.

State law requires smokers to stand at least 15 feet away from entrances, although home-rule municipalities can change the distance.

Central City and Black Hawk reduced the required distance to an inch.

Last month, Central City redefined an "outdoor space" as anyplace that's at least 40 percent permanently exposed to the outdoors.

Opponents say it's a move to get around the law barring smoking in enclosed areas.

But Mayor Buddy Schmalz says the town just wanted to avoid questions over what could be considered outdoors.