Plans To Eliminate Casino Smoking in Atlantic City Extinguished

Article by : Erik Gibbs Sep 3, 2024

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Efforts to eliminate smoking in Atlantic City’s casinos have been halted following a recent court ruling, allowing the city’s nine casinos to continue offering smoking areas on their gaming floors. Superior Court Judge Patrick Bartels handed down the decision, marking a significant win for the casino industry, which had warned that a smoking ban could lead to job losses and reduced revenue. The ruling also disappointed many casino workers who have been pushing for a smoke-free work environment for several years.

Casino workers, led by a group advocating for healthier workplace conditions, have long argued that smoking on the casino floor exposes them to harmful secondhand smoke. They initially tried to change the law through the legislative process, and when that failed, they turned to the courts. However, this latest setback has not deterred them, as their lawyer has vowed to take the case to the state Supreme Court, seeking a speedy review.

The casinos have maintained that banning smoking could have severe economic consequences, including the loss of millions in gambling revenue and taxes, which are critical for the city and state. The Casino Association of New Jersey, representing the industry, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision.

Mark Giannantonio, president of Resorts Casino and the association, stated that the industry has already made efforts to improve the air quality on the casino floor by limiting smoking to a small portion of the space. He emphasized the importance of balancing employee health concerns with the broader economic well-being of the city’s workforce.

Despite the ruling, the battle for smoke-free casinos is far from over. Anti-smoking advocates, including many casino employees, are determined to continue their fight. Lamont White, a dealer at Borgata and a leader in the anti-smoking movement, expressed disappointment with the ruling but remained resolute, calling on lawmakers to take action and pass bipartisan legislation to protect casino workers. The issue of smoking in casinos is not unique to Atlantic City. Workers in other states, such as Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Kansas, and Virginia, are engaged in similar campaigns to end smoking in their workplaces.

Currently, smoking is permitted on 25% of the casino floor in Atlantic City, but this does not fully contain the spread of secondhand smoke. The lawsuit filed by the United Auto Workers, representing dealers at several Atlantic City casinos, aimed to overturn New Jersey’s indoor smoking law, which exempts casinos. However, the judge ruled that the workers’ claim of a constitutional right to safety was not well-established and was unlikely to succeed.

The state attorney general’s office has also pointed out that banning smoking could reduce tax revenues that fund vital programs for senior citizens and disabled residents in the Garden State. A brief smoking ban implemented in 2008 resulted in a nearly 20% drop in casino revenue within two weeks, prompting the quick repeal of the ban.

Opponents of smoking, however, argue that casinos could thrive without smoking, citing studies that suggest non-smoking casinos may perform better financially. The fight against smoking in Atlantic City’s casinos is ongoing, with advocates determined to pursue every available avenue to achieve their goal of a smoke-free workplace.