There’s a rising likelihood that Atlantic City’s nine casinos may soon implement smoke-free gambling arenas. New Jersey’s widely-read Star-Ledger newspaper editorial board has applauded this potential change.
Several casinos, like Park MGM in Las Vegas, have completely eliminated smoking and are still effectively competing with those that permit indoor tobacco use. The nine casinos in Atlantic City are currently allowed to allocate a quarter of their gaming floors for tobacco use.
The Star-Ledger newspaper holds substantial clout within New Jersey, especially within the capital, Trenton. It is expected that legislators will revisit a shelved casino smoking bill which has been dormant for over three years.
The soon-to-be-discussed Assembly Bill 2151 and Senate Bill 264 aim to require Atlantic City casinos to implement completely smoke-free gaming floors. The current state laws permit up to 25% of casino floors to be designated for indoor tobacco use.
Despite controlling the majority of each chamber, the Democrats have decided to postpone the casino smoking legislation until after the upcoming November elections where all 120 seats will be contested. The avoidance of the disputed casino smoking issue until post-election is thought to be a strategic move to secure the party’s current majority control.
Both AB2151 and SB264 already have obtained sufficient support to move to the other chamber and potentially even to Governor Phil Murphy’s desk. Gov. Murphy champions the push for smoke-free casinos but acknowledges he can’t effectuate such a change single-handedly.
The Star-Ledger’s editorial board envisages that the forthcoming Legislature will be in favour of the anti-smoking bills. The bipartisan bill is expected to get a full Senate vote in the lame-duck legislative session.
New Jersey’s Smoke-Free Air Act of 2006 pardoned Atlantic City casinos, permitting them to allow smoking on a quarter of their gaming floors while the remainder are supposedly smoke-free. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), however, opines that even designated smoking sections still expose non-smokers to hazardous particulate matter.
Senators Joe Vitale and Shirley Turner, the primary sponsors of SB264, have high hopes for the bill post-election. However, Vitale acknowledges that his party’s delay has put health further at risk. Despite the well-known dangers of secondhand smoke, legislation has not been actioned.
Conversely, the Casino Association of New Jersey asserts a smoking ban would wreak economic havoc in Atlantic City. Last year, they funded a study positing an 11% drop in gaming revenue and up to 2,500 job losses if such a ban were implemented.
Coinciding with this standpoint, a recent July 2022 study conducted by Las Vegas-based C3 Gaming found that casinos which opted for a smoke-free policy actually saw increased profits.
Whether these changes will materially affect Atlantic City’s casino scene remains to be seen. However, advancements in smoke-free policies certainly reflect a broader, global trend towards healthier recreational environments.
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