Following the news that a casino employee has won a five-figure sum from his employers after claiming he developed asthma from passive smoking at work, the government is facing mounting pressure to consider new smoking bans.

Michael Dunn, who was a gaming inspector for 14 years, agreed to an out-of-court settlement after claiming that Napoleon’s casino where he worked had inadequate ventilation to protect his health.

It is considered to be the first successful case of its kind in England.

The casino will pay Dunn over £50,000 in compensation but does not accept liability for his condition and has invoked a gagging clause on Dunn.

Meanwhile, pressure is building for the government to ban smoking in public places, in line with Ireland, California and New York. The Charter Group, which represents over 100,000 British pubs, clubs, restaurants and hotels, has also called for clarity on the government’s position on cutting exposure on tobacco smoke for customers and staff.

Brighton could become the first British city to ban smoking in pubs, clubs and restaurants as local council officials want to introduce a ban that would cover all “enclosed public spaces” while smokers who break the ban could be responsible for £60 fines.

The pro-smoking lobby claims that no-smoking areas already exist in most enclosed public spaces and a ban could have a seriously damaging effect on the hospitality trade.

Anti-smoking campaigners, however, believe an estimated three million people are exposed to passive smoking in Britain while passive inhalation has been linked to a number of serious health problems.