In a move that could reverberate across the casino industry, the Atlantic City Council voted unanimously on April 15th, 2008, Wednesday night to ban smoking in the nation’s No. 2 gaming market. Following the example of non-tribal casinos in states such as California, Colorado and Delaware that already prohibit smoking, Atlantic City casinos must go smoke-free by Oct. 15. They have the option, however, of building enclosed smoking lounges with no gaming machines or cocktail service, like those used in airports.
The real estate magnate, chairman of a company that owns three casinos in Atlantic City, said he would not file his own suit but wants the Casino Association of New Jersey to stop the ban from taking effect in October. And he expressed that it puts them at a huge
disadvantage.
Slot parlors in the Philadelphia area, which have been stealing many of Atlantic City's most profitable and reliable customers over the past year and a half, permit them to smoke while gambling. Some smokers shunned Atlantic City last April when the city imposed a partial ban that restricts smoking to no more than 25 percent of the casino floor. But anti-smoking advocates said the partial restriction didn't work. The smoking areas were not walled off and separated from nonsmoking areas, as last year's law had called for, and smoke still wafts throughout the casino floor.
The ordinance allows casinos to construct gambling-free smoking lounges but does not require them to. There is no doubt that a complete ban will cause more people to stay away from Atlantic City. This will cut into the casino’s profits even more. Undoubtedly there will be some employees that lose their jobs. Nevertheless, Atlantic City should be
confident that with its amenities and new attractions (and upcoming ones) it can compete successfully with the slot parlors of its neighbors in nearby states.
The Atlantic City ban will put pressure on Nevada casinos to follow suit, said Stephanie Steinberg, Chair of Smoke-Free Gaming, a group pressing for smoking bans in casinos nationwide. It seems that casino bosses and rank-and-file workers support a smoking ban but only small minorities are willing to risk their jobs by challenging the status quo. As secondhand smoking is a health issue and unions have an obligation to advocate for policies and laws protecting the casino workers.
There was mixed reaction to a full smoking ban among some other patrons of the seaside resort. Some smokers forced to not to smoke as because the full ban’s becoming law and some of them are not interested in visiting Atlantic City no more and they wish to fit out to Places like Las Vegas where smoking is allowed.
A ban on smoking should not deter people who enjoy casino entertainment from smoking - rather it will give them a reason to choose to play in a casino in a neighboring state. A ban on smoking will for sure put New Jersey at a competitive disadvantage, as neighboring states will benefit from New Jersey's loss.
Gaming companies have opposed smoking bans, fearing that customers who smoke will go elsewhere. In the face of such threats, some have upgraded ventilation systems that have drawn critics who say they don’t do enough to remove carcinogens from the air. Whether smoking bans hurt casino revenue over the long term is hotly debated. While there is some evidence that gamblers don’t play as long if they can’t smoke, there also is evidence that some casinos increased revenue even after smoking bans were implemented.
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