Published on: December 29, 2025, 07:47h.
Updated on: December 29, 2025, 07:47h.
- Casino workers in Atlantic City push Governor Murphy for a smoking ban indoors
- Governor Murphy expresses intention to sign a bill banning smoking in casinos
Casino employees in Atlantic City advocating for smoke-free workplaces are urging New Jersey’s Governor Phil Murphy (D) to prompt the Legislature to consider bills with bipartisan backing aimed at closing the indoor casino smoking loophole.
In what is perceived as a final appeal during the concluding days of the two-term governor’s leadership, Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) has asked Murphy to “strongly” encourage Assembly and Senate leaders to act on the smoking legislation. These proposed changes aim to revise the 2006 Smoke-Free Air Act, which permits Atlantic City casinos to allocate up to 25% of their gaming areas for smoking, and have received considerable support in prior sessions, though Democratic leaders are criticized for obstructing the process.
As your term nears its conclusion, we urge you to assertively appeal to New Jersey’s legislative leaders to move existing bipartisan initiatives to eliminate the casino smoking loophole forward so you can safeguard the health of workers and enhance your legacy as a governor devoted to his constituents,” CEASE stated.
The CEASE petition was endorsed by 160 casino staff members, including table game dealers and various frontline gaming personnel.
CEASE Smoking Initiative
CEASE was established after indoor smoking was permitted to resume in Atlantic City following the lifting of Murphy’s COVID-19 emergency declaration on July 4, 2021. CEASE groups have since emerged in other states with ongoing casino smoking, such as Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kansas, Nevada, and Michigan.
A 2022 study by the now-defunct gaming consultancy C3 Gaming indicated that smoke-free casinos can compete equally with those permitting smoking. The report suggested that as smoking rates decline, smoke-free establishments are increasingly appealing to a wider array of gamblers and offer lower health insurance costs for employers.
As smoking prevalence diminishes, casinos allowing indoor smoking are becoming increasingly misaligned with public sentiment,” CEASE highlighted in their letter. “According to a Gallup poll, only 11% of Americans reported smoking a cigarette in the preceding week, while the Surgeon General’s report states that 75% of adults, including frequent casino attendees, support smoke-free policies.”
Conversely, a study conducted by the well-known gaming consultancy Spectrum Gaming in the same year reached a different conclusion, suggesting that a smoking ban in Atlantic City could decrease gaming revenues and lead to job cuts ranging from 1,201 to 2,512 positions.
Annual gross gaming revenue at the nine operational casinos was estimated to fall by as much as 10.9%.
Response from Murphy
When approached by the Press of Atlantic City for insights on the CEASE request, a spokesperson for Murphy confirmed that the governor is prepared to endorse legislation aimed at banning smoking in Atlantic City casinos if such a bill reaches his desk.
“The health and safety of casino workers in New Jersey continues to be a foremost concern,” the spokesperson commented.
Unlike many state legislatures, the New Jersey Legislature operates on two-year cycles, with the current session initiated in January 2024 running through January 12, 2026.
Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill will be inaugurated on January 20, 2026, and she has also indicated her support for a ban on casino smoking.