Opponents to smoking in casinos in Atlantic City believe that New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has the chance to heavily impact his legacy by taking a firm stance against smoking in such establishments.
In the vibrant city of Atlantic City, a long-standing issue continues to linger: the presence of tobacco smoke on casino floors. Despite strong public support and calls from health advocates, legislation to end indoor tobacco use in the casinos remains stalled.
As of August 2025, no vote is scheduled to prohibit smoking in all nine casinos, leaving workers and patrons exposed to secondhand smoke drifting freely without physical barriers or special air systems. This situation has raised health concerns, with 83% of South Jersey voters favouring smoke-free casinos, according to a recent poll.
Governor Phil Murphy, whose term ends on Jan. 20, 2026, has expressed his support for a comprehensive smoking ban for casinos. He has declared that he would sign a bill ending Atlantic City casino smoking if it reached his desk. However, critics argue that Murphy's inaction on this issue has been a missed opportunity, especially considering the strong public support.
The group CEASE (Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects) in Atlantic City is urging Governor Murphy to prioritise a smoking ban before he leaves office. Pete Naccarelli, a longtime Borgata table game dealer and a CEASE co-founder, has made remarks about this issue to Casino.org. CEASE believes that smoke-free policies are good for casinos, as they protect both workers and guests, and refute claims by the casino industry that a smoking ban would hurt in-person revenue.
The 2025 gubernatorial race to succeed Murphy is between Democrat Miki Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli, the former state representative who lost the 2021 gubernatorial election to Murphy by 3%. Neither Sherrill nor Ciattarelli has commented on whether they support ending Atlantic City casino smoking.
As the final months of Governor Murphy's term approach, health advocates and workers are hopeful that he will prove himself a champion of his constituents' health by pursuing clean air legislation. The opportunity to make a lasting impact on the health and wellbeing of Atlantic City's casino workers and patrons is within his grasp.
References:
- Atlantic City casino smoking ban remains stalled
- 83% of South Jersey voters support smoke-free casinos
- CEASE urges outgoing NJ Gov. Phil Murphy to push for smoking ban
- Casino workers push for smoke-free Atlantic City casinos
- Atlantic City casinos resist smoke-free push
- The ongoing issue of tobacco smoke in Atlantic City casinos, despite public support and health advocacy, remains unaddressed with no scheduled vote to implement a smoking ban.
- Governor Phil Murphy, who supports a comprehensive casino smoking ban, has stated he would sign such a bill if it reaches his desk.
- However, critics argue Murphy's inaction on this issue has been a missed opportunity, especially given the strong public support.
- The group CEASE (Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects) is urging Governor Murphy to prioritize a smoking ban before he leaves office.
- CEASE believes that smoke-free policies are beneficial for casinos, as they improve both worker and guest health, and counter industry claims that a ban would negatively impact in-person casino revenue.
- The 2025 gubernatorial race sees Democrat Miki Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli vying to succeed Murphy, but neither candidate has yet commented on their stance regarding ending Atlantic City casino smoking.
- With only months remaining in Governor Murphy's term, health advocates and workers eagerly await his potential championing of health legislation to address the smoking issue in Atlantic City casinos.
- References suggest 83% of South Jersey voters favour smoke-free casinos and there is widespread advocacy for a smoking ban among casino employees.
- As the Atlantic City casino industry continues its resistance to a smoke-free push, the health-and-wellness implications of cigarette and cigar smoking in casino environments gain traction in the broader context of science, politics, general news, and casino-and-gambling discourse.
