Legislation pending in New Jersey would end the exemption Atlantic City casinos have enjoyed from a statewide ban on indoor smoking. The casino workers are pushing for the ban. The governor of the state supports it.
If a bill came to my desk, I would sign it.
The casino industry is worried about the impact of a ban on jobs and profits.
The study was commissioned by the Casino Association of New Jersey. John DeCree, an analyst for CBRE, said that a smoking ban could cause gaming revenue to fall between 20% and 25%. According to the Spectrum report, smokers make higher profits as they sit longer and spend more money.
Joe Lupo, president of Hard Rock Atlantic City and president of the Casino Association of New Jersey, told CNBC that roulette and blackjack in smoking sections make 50% more money than non smoking games.
Lupo said that many Hard Rock employees don't support a change to smoking restrictions because they worry about their jobs, and that opponents of casino smoking are getting all the attention. According to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, there are nearly 22,000 full-time and part-time workers employed by the casinos in Atlantic City.
He said that the dogs who bark loudest are heard.
Tammy Brady wants to get the attention of state legislators.
Tammy Brady is fighting to make casinos smoke-free. She was diagnosed with cancer after 37 years of being a casino dealer.Brady has worked in casinos for 37 years. She wants to work in a smoke-free environment.
That is the worst part of my job. Brady said that he would enjoy his job if it weren't for the smoke. She said that customers blow smoke in her face. You have to sit there and take it.
She told CNBC that she was worried about going back to her job in a smoking environment.
The Office of the U.S. Surgeon General has concluded that there is no safe level of second hand-smoke. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has cited a study that says 50% of the casinos had air pollution levels that were known to cause cardiovascular disease after only two hours of exposure. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health recommends a smoke-free environment for casino workers.
When you are playing a smoking game. Pete Naccarelli is a dealer at Borgata, which is owned by MGM Resorts.
The company didn't comment on the story.
This isn't the first challenge to New Jersey's casino exemption for indoor smoking. Atlantic City banned it in 2008 and gaming revenue plummeted in the first week. Atlantic City casinos were allowed to offer smoking on 25% of the casino floor after the city reversed its smoking ban.
Unite Here, the union that represents casino employees who aren't dealers, doesn't want to see a ban reinstituted.
The United Auto Workers Union, which represents dealers at three Atlantic City casinos, joined the effort to eliminate the casino smoking exemption.
It is unacceptable that dealers sit close to patrons who blow smoke into their face for eight hours a day.
Hundreds of casino workers held a rally in Atlantic City last month to push for the legislation to completely ban smoking. Legislators from Atlantic City co-sponsors the legislation. The 16th anniversary of a New Jersey law banning smoking indoors was marked at the rally. The Smoke Free Air Act took effect on April 15, 2006 and banned smoking in almost every workplace and place open to the public.
Some Atlantic City visitors would like to enjoy clean air, even though casinos worry their smoking patrons would stay away.
Princess Foster said she would like to see a smoking ban in casinos. She said that they try to sneak through because they don't want to inhale.
Smoking is only allowed on 10% of the gaming floor at Hard Rock Atlantic City, according to Lupo.
The American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers sent a letter to the Casino Association of New Jersey, stating that there are no current systems that are effective against secondhand smoke.
Jim Allen met with Murphy, the governor, about pending legislation. Allen told CNBC that the industry needs to work with regulators to find middle ground, but he is worried about a complete about-face in New Jersey.
(L-R) Dave Bee, Stephen Madel, H. Barzilay and Frank Fitzgerald play a game of poker May 11, 2004 during the grand opening for the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.The majority of our employees do not want to see a complete smoking ban because they know it will have a direct impact on the gratuities.
Hard Rock has casinos in other states that don't allow smoking indoors, but Native American tribes have their own rules for casinos. In Ohio, the heated outdoor gaming patio is very popular with patrons who smoke.
In markets where customers had conveniently-located smoking alternatives, gaming revenue declined 20%+ in the first.
Pre-pandemic results are what DeCree's analysis and Spectrum Gaming's report are based on. Andrew Klebanow, a senior partner at C3 Gaming, said Covid caused a major shift in attitudes regarding smoking.
Smoking prohibitions were implemented at no cost. Consumers didn't react negatively, they came in because they enjoy gambling.
He thinks casinos that don't go smoke-free are going to have a hard time competing. His assessment is based on the results in Pennsylvania, where Mount Airy Casino Resort stayed smoke free and saw revenues rise slightly, while its competitor saw revenues decline.
Even though the state lifted restrictions, the Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, decided to remain smoke free. Parx continues to gain market share and there has been no noticeable impact to revenue. He said surveys show guests prefer a smoke-free environment.
New York, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland do not allow indoor smoking in casinos.
Lupo insists that Atlantic City's economy is in a precarious recovery from Covid closing in 2020.
Nicole Vitola is a table games dealer at Borgata.
They're adding virtual dealers and aren't worried about job losses. They are worried about the job loss when it comes to saving lives. It doesn't make sense.
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