Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE), the group of Atlantic City casino workers that has battled for a complete smoking ban, issued a statement last week calling on New Jersey lawmakers to eliminate the casino exemption to the state’s indoor smoking ban before the legislature breaks for the summer.
“It has been nearly two years since smoking returned to Atlantic City casinos, and we’re still here calling on lawmakers to pass legislation that we know will save our lives,” the statement said.
“During packed committee hearings earlier this year, we shared our stories of dealing with constant secondhand smoke at work and the serious health consequences we all face. It is clear that legislation to close the casino smoking loophole has more than enough votes to pass. There is no reason for further delay and we’re calling on lawmakers to pass the bills before they break in the leadup to the November election. Casino workers want nothing more than a smoke-free workplace this summer.”
Some 70 percent of the New Jersey legislature has cosponsored S264 and A2151, legislation to close the casino smoking loophole. The bills have earned 83 cosponsors in total, 26 in the Senate and 57 in the General Assembly.
During a hearing in March held by the Assembly Health Committee and the Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee, members of CEASE testified before lawmakers to share their experience working in smoke for hours at a time and dealing with the health consequences.
Majorities of each of the Senate and Assembly committees cosponsor the bill, which also has broad support from a range of organizations including the National Council on Problem Gambling, UFCW Local 152, American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, American Heart Association, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has repeatedly said he will sign the legislation when it reaches his desk.
Meanwhile, to the south, officials in St. Louis County are also considering a measure that would ban smoking in casinos, making it the first county in Missouri to consider such a prohibition. Casinos were exempted from the county’s 2011 ban on indoor smoking.
County Health Department Director Dr. Kanika Cunningham told council members the exception for casinos poses a serious health threat to employees and customers.
She said, “Even if there are partial smoking restrictions, there’s no way to allow for smoke-free air. Even with the current ventilation systems, it can reduce the odor but it still does not reduce the level of hazardous exposure.”
Cunningham said according to health department figures, in 2020, about 15 percent of St. Louis County adults smoked compared to 11 percent nationwide.
Councilman Dennis Hancock expressed concerns that a smoking ban would send customers to casinos in neighboring counties where smoking is allowed.
But Cunningham said, “What we do know is when casinos went smoke free, they have not lost revenue.” She cited a 2022 report from the gaming consulting firm Las Vegas-based C3 indicating casino smoking bans do not lead to a loss of business. C3’s study mainly focused on tribal casinos, many of which retained their smoking bans when they reopened after the Covid-19 pandemic. Those bans had no tangible impact on revenue, the C3 study found.
However, Michael Jerlecki, general manager and vice president at Hollywood Casino in Maryland Heights, said the health department cherry-picked the C3 study to fit its position. He said, “A total smoking ban that only applies to casinos in St. Louis County would place us at a considerable competitive disadvantage to nearby casinos in Missouri, risk hundreds of good-paying jobs and substantially impact the tax revenue and significant economic activity our properties generate.”
Jerlecki said at Hollywood Casino and River City Casino in Lemay, owned by Penn Entertainment, half of the gaming floor is non-smoking, adding that is the best way to satisfy smoking and non-smoking players.
