Workers pushing for an end to smoking in Atlantic City casinos say the recent record-breaking revenue report is a great place to start.
In 2024, New Jersey's casino industry generated $6.3 billion in gambling revenue, fueled, in part, by the surge in online gambling.
Representatives with the organization Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) say that with casino revenues at record highs, the industry now has both the resources and the opportunity to create safer and healthier workplaces for everyone.
The group is urging the New Jersey legislature to pass bipartisan legislation that would close the loophole allowing smoking in casinos. Their goal is to protect thousands of workers from the dangers of secondhand smoke.
Online Casinos Fuel Record Revenue in New Jersey
Despite these record-breaking profits, a debate looms over the future of smoking on casino floors. Executives in Atlantic City have voiced concerns that banning smoking might impact revenue. However, organizations like CEASE argue that now is the perfect time to prioritize employee health by implementing a smoking ban.
"As the industry thrives, it's crucial to make positive changes, starting with eliminating indoor smoking," CEASE co-founder Pete Naccarelli, told the Asbury Park Press.
The boost in revenue was largely due to internet gambling, which soared by 24% to reach $2.4 billion. Sports betting also played a significant role, contributing $1.1 billion. In contrast, revenues from in-person gambling saw a slight dip, dropping by 1.1% to $2.8 billion, according to CEASE.
With the casino industry thriving like never before, the conversation around health and sustainability continues to gain momentum in Atlantic City.
Atlantic City Not Alone in Push for Casino Smoking Ban
Atlantic City isn’t the only place where this battle is being carried out.
There are also groups in Kansas and Missouri that are pushing their lawmakers to ban smoking in state-owned casinos to safeguard non-smokers and casino workers. It's important to know, though, that if the legislation passes in Kansas, casinos run by Native American tribes won't have to follow these rules.
Dr. Mario Castro is the chief of pulmonary and critical care medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center. He told KAKE News that exposure to secondhand smoke can lead to serious, long-term illnesses like heart disease and cancer.
“Secondhand smoke exposure is a significant public health problem,” he said. “We know that there’s about 20,000 deaths each year from secondhand smoke exposure, distinct from those that smoke.”, he added.
The legislative sessions for lawmakers in both states recently resumed, but there hasn’t been movement on either of the new bills that were introduced.
Last September, the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians in Michigan announced that all five of its Kewadin casino locations will transition to smoke-free establishments. Ten states have casino smoking bans, including Iowa, Ohio, Maryland, New York, Nebraska, Colorado, and Massachusetts.
Atlantic City Push Continues in 2025
The push to end smoking in Atlantic City casinos continues, but it appears that it may be gaining some steam.
Naccarelli recently posted on the CEASE New Jersey Facebook page that they ‘will be hearing about our court date any time now.’"
The no-smoking push is one of the ways people there are hoping will bring more people back to the Atlantic City casinos. There is already a plan for a boutique hotel based on one of the pieces from the popular Monopoly board game.
So, the wheels appear to be in motion and those who support the ban are not giving up. And it looks like their day in court is coming soon.
