Atlantic City Casino Smoking Ban Debate Continues
Date: 2024-10-01 Author: Alex Crawford Categories: CASINO
New Jersey, like several other states, allows smoking in casinos thanks to a loophole in the Free Air Act passed in 2006. The state has been debating smoking bans in casinos for two decades, and the issue was brought up again at the latest legislative session, where one lawmaker warned of job losses.
Thousands of Jobs at Risk from Careless Smoking Ban
The 42nd annual Southern New Jersey Development Council conference, held at the Resorts Casino Hotel, featured discussions on current issues, including a smoking ban in casinos. One of the speakers on the panel was New Jersey Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald, who noted the difficulty of discussing the topic. “This is a very difficult issue for us to address, stopping smoking in casinos,” he said.
Greenwald warned of the negative impact of a smoking ban on the state’s gambling industry, saying that if the law is passed without due diligence, it could cost 3,500 jobs in Atlantic City. “If New Jersey decides to ban smoking and we don’t do it smartly, 3,500 workers are going to lose their jobs,” Greenwald said.
Opponents of the smoking ban, such as Unite Here Local 54, have also expressed concerns. Donna DeCaprio, the union’s secretary-treasurer, warned last year of the ban’s potentially dangerous consequences.
Anti-smoking opponents react
The issue of banning smoking in Atlantic City casinos is a hotly debated one. Businesses fear the move will hurt their bottom line, but not everyone agrees that smoking should remain permitted given the health of workers and patrons.
Dan Vicente, director of United Auto Workers Region 9, says he has tried to discuss the issue with Greenwald multiple times, but to no avail. He says if the majority leader really wants to make progress on the issue, he needs to “reach out to the workers, health organizations, and unions that are advocating for this.” Vicente adds, “We’re open to meeting and listening to why he believes our health should take a backseat to economic interests.”
A proposal to ban smoking in casinos received broad support during the last legislative session, but Greenwald did not put it to a vote. That position was criticized by Pete Nacarelli, a Borgata casino dealer and co-founder of Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE), who called on Greenwald to "stop blocking bipartisan legislation that would finally close the casino smoking loophole and attract more visitors who avoid Atlantic City because of smoking."
