When states passed the first of those regulations in the early 2000s, many exempted casinos, assuming that gamblers were more likely to smoke than the general population, more tolerant of secondhand smoke, and more willing to travel to venues that allowed it - taking their tax money with them. The debate is a reflection of the sea change in thinking about worker safety and smoking laws in the decades since lawmakers first started debating indoor bans. Vince Polistina (R), whose district includes Atlantic City.
“Everyone understands - including the casinos - that this is going to happen at some point,” said New Jersey state Sen. Phil Murphy (D) has said he would sign a bill that makes it to his desk.īut the measures have stalled in previous sessions, and it is unclear whether Democrats in control of the state legislature will schedule hearings after they gavel in in January. Prompted by a worker-led movement in Atlantic City, more than half of New Jersey’s state lawmakers have cosponsored House and Senate bills that would extend New Jersey’s 2006 Smoke-Free Air Act to the state’s nine casinos. An impasse over New Jersey legislation that would extend the state’s smoking ban to its casinos is attracting attention from other states, as COVID inspired a national reassessment of casino carveouts in smoking bans.
