Blowing
Smoke
A number of states are considering legislation to ban smoking in casinos . Some plans are stalling due to concerns about revenue loss . Question : Is the bottom line worth the health risks ?
By Marjorie Preston
Gamblers who visit Atlantic City casinos don ’ t have to go outside to grab a smoke — they have to go inside .
The state ’ s 2006 Smoke-Free Air Act prohibited smoking in workplaces , bars and restaurants ; in 2018 , the legislation was expanded to cover public parks and beaches . But it ’ s still OK to light up in all of AC ’ s nine gaming halls .
A bill to eliminate the casino exemption is in the state legislature , and Governor Phil Murphy , who allowed smoking to resume at casinos after the pandemic , says he ’ ll sign it if it reaches his desk . Until then , casino lobbyists have the edge .
For most casino workers , the debate is about workplace safety . For many operators and legislators , it comes down to dollars and cents . In April , Resorts Casino President Mark Giannantonio , head of the Casino Association of New Jersey , bailed on a planned panel discussion about smoking at the East Coast Gaming Congress ( ECGC ).
He released a statement saying an “ immediate ” ban on indoor smoking would have a “ significant adverse effect ” on casinos in the shore town , and “ more time is needed ” to come up with a solution that would safeguard employees ’ health without putting their jobs at risk .
Pete Naccarelli , a dealer at Atlantic City ’ s Borgata , is impatient for
“ I ’ m not going to walk into smoking casinos and promote for them , ever .”
— Brian Christopher , “ slot influencer ” with millions of Youtube followers
change . He recently told a New Jersey news station , “ It ’ s barbaric to have to be the smoke ’ s filter … You can tell there ’ s poison in here .” His colleague , Lamont White , said the dangers of secondhand smoke and the long-term damage it can cause is “ always in the back of our minds .”
Together they founded Casino Employees Against Smoking ’ s Effects ( CEASE ), which has grown to include chapters in Pennsylvania , Kansas and Rhode Island .
Alan Feldman , a former MGM Resorts executive now with the International Gaming Institute at the University of Nevada , Las Vegas , opposes smoking at casinos but understands the economic concerns . “ The fact of the matter is , in any jurisdiction where a smoking ban comes into place , the immediate reaction is a reduction in business .
“ In New Jersey in particular , with all that ’ s happened in the last five to 10 years in terms of the market changing and weakening , anything that would speed up that process would be a difficult thing for legislators to do . There ’ s also going to be the expense of whatever retrofit is needed if this were to happen . Upgrading is incredibly expensive .”
However , Feldman adds , the period of adjustment that follows a smoking ban invariably passes and “ things normalize .”
Point , Counterpoint
Both sides of the issue can find expert opinion to support them . New Jersey-based Spectrum Gaming Group says a smoking ban in Atlantic City would cause a revenue drop of between 4 percent and 11 percent . That ’ s in line with results in Delaware , where the state ’ s casinos saw a decline of 11 percent after a 2002 smoking ban .
In 2009 , the Federal Reserve Bank of St . Louis published a study contending that Illinois casinos incurred losses of 9 percent to 13 percent — or revenues of about $ 400 million — in the first year after the introduction of the Smoke-Free Illinois Act . Revenues to state and local governments declined accordingly , losing about $ 200 million . ( The report acknowledges that the recession was a probable aggravating factor .)
14 Global Gaming Business AUGUST 2023