After facing repeated delays, a bill aimed at banning smoking in Atlantic City's casinos has once again failed to move forward. Democratic lawmakers admitted that they did not have enough votes to advance the bill and suggested considering alternatives proposed by the casino industry. These alternatives include the creation of enclosed smoking rooms where no employees would be required to work.

The news of the delay infuriated over 100 casino workers who had gathered at a hearing room in the state Capitol. These workers, who have been actively pushing for the smoking ban for nearly three years, believed that their state representatives were finally ready to take action. Lamont White, a dealer at the Borgata and a leader in the fight against smoking in the casinos, expressed his frustration, stating, "It's incredible that we're here begging again to have the same thing everyone else has." Nicole Vitola, another Borgata dealer and anti-smoking advocate, added, "We have to endure hours on the job with secondhand smoke in our faces without the ability to turn away."

Currently, New Jersey law exempts Atlantic City's casinos from the ban on smoking in public businesses. This exemption was part of a compromise enacted during Sen. Richard Codey's tenure as governor. However, Sen. Codey now acknowledges that this compromise should not have been made and believes it is time to end the exemption.

Despite the setback, Sen. Joseph Vitale, chairman of the Senate health committee, promised the workers that a vote on the bill would take place "sooner rather than later." Vitale supports the original bill, which would ban smoking in all areas of the casinos. However, other lawmakers, such as Sen. Fred Madden, want to explore alternative options suggested by the casino industry. Madden claims that some lawmakers are open to the idea of an 18-month phase-in of a smoking ban, during which the casinos could implement enclosed smoking rooms and enhance air treatment processes. Madden emphasized the importance of prioritizing health while also considering the potential job losses that could result from a complete smoking ban.

The Casino Association of New Jersey did not provide details on its proposals to lawmakers, but its president, Mark Giannantonio, argued that the delay in voting on the bill demonstrates that it would have a significant negative impact on Atlantic City's economy. However, a group representing dealers dismissed the idea of enclosed smoking rooms as “absurd” and called on all legislators to reject it.

Support for a casino smoking ban is widespread among New Jersey lawmakers, with a bipartisan majority in both chambers. Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat, has repeatedly expressed his willingness to sign the bill into law if it passes. This issue is not unique to New Jersey, as similar movements for smoking bans are underway in several other states, including Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Kansas, Michigan, and Nevada. Additionally, Connecticut's casinos are already smoke-free, and Shreveport, Louisiana recently lifted its smoking ban in casinos.

The proposed bill aims to close a loophole in the state's 2006 indoor smoking law, which specifically exempts casinos from smoking bans. Currently, smoking is allowed on 25% of the casino floor in Atlantic City. The casino industry has been vocal in its opposition to a smoking ban, arguing that it would lead to a loss of customers and revenue, especially if smoking is still permitted in nearby states' casinos. Christina Renna, president of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey, stated, "We're not here to debate whether cigarettes are healthy. We know they are not. We are here to debate whether casinos will have to lay off individuals or shutter altogether if a smoking ban goes into place."

However, Las Vegas-based C3 Gaming counters these arguments, pointing out that many casinos in other regions that have banned smoking are thriving financially. They cite examples of casinos near Washington, D.C., Boston, and Maryland as evidence that a smoking ban does not necessarily lead to negative economic consequences.

The smoking ban issue has become one of the most divisive topics in Atlantic City. Despite the city's casino revenue reaching an all-time high of $5.2 billion last year, only half of that amount was generated from in-person gamblers. The other half came from online gambling and must be shared with various third parties, including tech platforms and sportsbooks. Only three out of the nine casinos-Borgata, Ocean, and Resorts-were able to surpass their pre-pandemic revenue levels in terms of money won from in-person gamblers.

The fate of the smoking ban remains uncertain, but it is clear that the debate surrounding it will continue.