A renewed push to ban smoking in Atlantic City’s casinos could cost up to 2,500 jobs and nearly 11% of casinos’ revenue as they struggle to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Spectrum Gaming Group compiled a report that supports the casinos’ longstanding contention that eliminating smoking would hurt their business, deprive New Jersey of tax revenue and put thousands of people out of work. New Jersey’s Democratic governor, Phil Murphy, has said he will sign a smoking ban into law if a bill is passed.
Smokers account for approximately 21% of Atlantic City gamblers and are considered to be worth more to casinos than non-smokers in that they tend to lose more money and spend more on non-gambling items.
Joe Lupo, president of the casino association and of Atlantic City’s Hard Rock casino, stated that casino employment and visitation to Atlantic City are both at 20-year lows. In-person gambling revenue has yet to return to pre-COVID levels, down 5% in 2021 compared to 2019. “Now is not the time to enact a smoking ban,” he said, adding that doing so “could cause a devastating effect to the community and state.”
A group of Atlantic City casino workers, aided by national non-smoking groups, has been pushing for over a year for New Jersey to close the loophole in its public smoking law that allows it to continue in casinos; it is banned in most other indoor spaces. These workers often complain of developing respiratory ailments and other harm from breathing second-hand smoke, despite the millions invested by casinos in filters and air purifying technology.
Legislation to end casino smoking died in last year’s legislative session, but has been reintroduced this year, and has garnered bipartisan support.
*Sourced from the AP News story “Report: Atlantic City casino smoking ban may cost 2,500 jobs” by Wayne Parry – https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-phil-murphy-smoking-bans-7a35ca5fa595153c6231fca59d7d4e58
