Atlantic City Casino Workers Call on New Jersey Governor to Address Smoking
Casino workers in Atlantic City who support a smoke-free environment are hoping that New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D) will use his 2025 State of the State Address on Tuesday to urge lawmakers to mandate that the nine gaming establishments along the shore stop permitting indoor tobacco consumption.
New Jersey’s Smoke-Free Air Act, enacted in January 2006 by Governor Richard Codey (D), included exemptions for casinos licensed by the state and parimutuel betting establishments.
The law permits casinos with a minimum of 150 slot machines, 10 table games, or a mix of both, to establish indoor spaces where smoking of cigarettes and cigars is permitted.
CEASE — Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects — has been urging legislators in Trenton to eliminate the casino smoking exemption for many years. Murphy has voiced his backing for making the casinos smoke-free, but he has not yet urged the Democratic-led Legislature to send such a bill to him.
Address on the Condition of the State
Murphy is set to present his seventh State of the State Address at 3 p.m. on Tuesday. In his penultimate speech regarding the wellbeing of the Garden State, since New Jersey restricts governors to two four-year terms, CEASE hopes Murphy focuses on casino smoking.
"Governor Murphy can’t claim a legacy of fighting for everyday New Jerseyans if he leaves office without closing the casino smoking loophole,” opined Lamont White, CEASE co-founder and a table games dealer at the Borgata. “This is his moment to prove he stands with working people, and not just by saying he will sign a bill if it hits his desk, but by explicitly calling for the New Jersey legislature to pass this legislation.”
Once again, proposals to prohibit smoking in casinos have been introduced in a legislative session. The 221st New Jersey Legislature, which is a two-year session, commenced a year ago this month and will continue until Jan. 13, 2026. Assembly Bill 2143 and Senate Bill 3372 aim to close the casino smoking loophole, yet both bills have stalled in their respective chamber committees.
Democratic officials have succumbed to the casino industry's requests to retain their smoking rights, arguing that a tobacco prohibition would severely impact gaming income, lead to job losses, decrease gaming taxes, and potentially close one or two resorts. CEASE isn't convinced.
The grassroots alliance of gaming employees highlights independent research indicating that smoke-free gaming regulations benefit — rather than harm — business. CEASE frequently highlights that Parx Casino in Pennsylvania ranks as the highest-earning gaming establishment in the state’s 17-casino sector. Situated just north of Philadelphia, Parx is among the only two casinos in Pennsylvania that prohibit smoking. Parx Casino Shippensburg, which is a mini-casino, is the second one.
Deeds, Not Words
CEASE was established following the expiration of Murphy’s short-lived executive order that prohibited smoking in casinos during the COVID-19 pandemic in the summer of 2021. Murphy stated that he is unable to change the 2006 smoking law by himself.
CEASE believes it’s overdue for Murphy to push the Legislature for action.
“With the Senate set to meet and momentum building around this critical issue, the timing couldn’t be more perfect for bold leadership. If he doesn’t act now, he will be remembered as the governor who allowed tens of thousands of workers to remain exposed to harmful secondhand smoke,” White declared.
