Opinion: Atlantic City Casino Smoking Ban Would Change More Than The Air

Atlantic City Still Feels Different For Smokers

As a smoker, I will say the part out loud that a lot of smokers probably think but do not always say publicly: I would not enjoy Atlantic City casinos as much as I do now if I could not smoke there. That does not mean smoking is healthy. It is not. It does not mean non-smokers should have to like it. They should not. It only means the casino experience is different for people who smoke.

Atlantic City casinos still feel like one of the last places in New Jersey where a smoker can sit down, play, relax, and not feel pushed outside every time the urge hits. That freedom is part of the appeal. It is not the whole appeal, but it matters.

For more than 20 years, New Jersey has largely moved away from indoor smoking. Bars, restaurants, offices, stores, and most public indoor spaces are smoke-free. Atlantic City casino gaming floors are the major exception, and that exception has helped make casinos feel different from almost every other entertainment business in the state.

Non-Smokers Have A Real Argument Too

There is no honest way to defend smoking in casinos without admitting the other side has a real point. Smoking is bad for your health. Secondhand smoke is a real concern. Casino employees do not experience a gaming floor the same way a customer does because they are working there for hours, not just walking through for a short visit.

That is the strongest argument for a full ban. Even if smoking is restricted to designated areas, smoke does not always respect the line on a casino map. WHYY reported that smoking is still allowed on up to 25% of Atlantic City casino gaming floors, while casino workers and public-health advocates continue pushing Gov. Mikie Sherrill and lawmakers to close the casino exemption in New Jersey’s indoor smoking law.

That point deserves respect. I do not think non-smokers are being dramatic when they say they do not want smoke around them. I also do not think casino workers are wrong for wanting cleaner air while they work.

Designated Smoking Areas Remain The Compromise

The current system is a compromise, and I still think it is a better compromise than an outright ban. Smoking is not allowed everywhere inside Atlantic City casinos. It is limited to designated areas, and many non-smokers can still book rooms, eat, see shows, play, drink, relax, and enjoy a casino weekend without sitting in a smoking section.

That is why I do not see the issue as simply as “smoke or no smoke.” The current system already gives non-smokers more of the casino floor than smokers. It allows smokers a portion of the property while leaving most of the floor smoke-free.

The problem is that a compromise only works if both sides believe the tradeoff is fair. Many casino workers do not believe the current setup protects them. Many non-smokers do not believe the smoke stays contained. Those concerns are why this fight keeps coming back.

The Numbers Explain Why Casinos Resist

The casino industry’s position is not hard to understand. Casino operators and some labor voices have warned that a full ban could hurt revenue and jobs. The Casino Association of New Jersey commissioned a Spectrum Gaming Group report that estimated 21% of Atlantic City casino players are smokers and projected a Year 1 gross gaming revenue decline of 4.2% to 10.9% if smoking were banned.

The same report projected potential job losses between 1,021 and 2,512, depending on the severity of the revenue impact. Spectrum also said its study was limited to revenue impact and did not offer an opinion on whether smoking should be allowed.

That distinction matters. The numbers do not settle the moral or health debate. They only explain why casino operators are worried. If a business believes a policy could reduce revenue, reduce visitation, and reduce jobs, it is going to fight that policy.

Smokers May Be Losing The Majority Argument

I have always believed in facts, logic, and common sense. I also believe majority opinion matters, even when I disagree with it. On this issue, smokers are probably losing the majority argument.

CDC survey data reported by the National Center for Health Statistics showed that 9.9% of U.S. adults used cigarettes in 2024. AP later reported that the adult cigarette smoking rate dropped again to about 9% in 2025, another all-time low. That means more than 90% of American adults do not smoke.

That is the political problem for people like me. We can defend the casino experience. We can say smokers bring value to Atlantic City. We can say casinos are one of the last places where the experience still feels open to us. But the country keeps moving away from smoking, and elected officials know where the larger number of voters is.

That does not make the smoking customer meaningless. It does mean casinos may eventually decide losing some smokers is a gamble they have to take.

A Ban Would Change The Casino Feeling

For non-smokers, a full smoking ban may make Atlantic City casinos cleaner, easier to enjoy, and more comfortable. For smokers, it would change the experience in a way that cannot be fixed by telling people to step outside.

Casinos are designed to feel loose, social, and free. People go to play, eat, drink, stay up late, win, lose, talk, relax, and escape normal routines for a while. For smokers, being able to smoke in designated casino areas is part of that escape.

If the ban eventually happens, the casino industry should not pretend it will be a small change for smoking customers. It will be a major change. Some will adapt. Some will go less often. Some may choose casinos in nearby states where smoking is still permitted. Others may stop caring over time.

What Should Happen Before Any Ban

If New Jersey lawmakers decide to end the casino smoking exemption, casinos should get time to adjust. A rushed ban would be a mistake. Operators should be allowed to develop outdoor smoking areas, communicate with customers, protect hotel-room business where permitted by law, and make the change without creating avoidable confusion.

There should also be a serious plan for workers. If the state says worker health is the reason for action, then worker stability should not be ignored after the vote. A ban should not become an excuse to shrug at job losses or business disruption.

At the same time, smokers should be realistic. The trend is not moving in our favor. The law may not change today, but the pressure is not going away. Casino workers are still organizing. Litigation is still active. Lawmakers are still being asked to act. Public smoking rates keep falling.

What Comes Next For Atlantic City Smokers

My opinion is still that Atlantic City casinos should keep designated smoking areas. I believe a full ban would make casinos less fun, less free, and less relaxing for smokers. I also believe it would remove one of the last indoor spaces in New Jersey where smokers can still enjoy themselves without constantly stepping outside.

But I am not blind to the other side. Non-smokers make up the overwhelming majority. Casino workers have a serious workplace argument. Public-health advocates are not going to stop. The courts and Legislature are still in the middle of this fight.

For now, smoking remains part of the Atlantic City casino experience. You can still visit the casinos, book a trip, play, eat, drink, relax, and enjoy the city the way many smokers have enjoyed it for years. While it lasts, that experience is still available.

So yes, I would say head out to Atlantic City and have a blast. Just understand that this may be one of the last chapters of casino smoking as New Jersey has known it.