New Jersey casino workers call on Gov. Mikie Sherrill to support their demand to ban smoking in Atlantic City gaming halls

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The New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act, which took effect 20 years ago, is designed to ensure that workers in the Garden State have a safe, smoke-free workplace. It prohibits smoking in nearly all indoor workplaces, but smoking is still allowed in casino gaming areas.

Dozens of casino workers and public health experts held a rally on the Atlantic City Boardwalk on Wednesday, outside the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, calling on New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill to support their demand to amend the law and prohibit smoking in casinos. Sherrill was inside the hotel, addressing the East Coast Gaming Congress.

The Smoke-Free Air Act allows casinos to designate 25% of their gaming floors for tobacco use, and smoking sections do not need to be cordoned off by any kind of a barrier, which means secondhand smoke can spread to smoke-free sections.

During the rally, Lamont White, co-founder of Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects, or CEASE, said efforts to ban smoking in gaming halls — so workers don’t have to inhale secondhand smoke — have been going on for two decades, and that the time for action is now.

“It’s 2026 Gov. Sherrill and people are suffering on your watch, this is your watch right now, people in this building are getting sick and dying,” he said.

Opposition to a smoking ban in Atlantic City casinos has been driven by the Casino Association of New Jersey, casino operators and the main casino workers’ union. Those groups fear a smoking ban would lead to major revenue losses and job cuts.

Sherrill recently expressed hope that the dispute would soon be resolved by the state Legislature.

Cynthia Hallett, president of the Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, said 21 states require their casinos to be smoke-free and that a growing number of casinos across the region are prohibiting smoking because it’s good for business.

“Four states in the regional area of New Jersey, including New York, Connecticut, Maryland and Delaware, require their commercial casinos to be smoke-free,” she said. “In the nearby area of Philadelphia, Parx Casino, which went voluntarily smoke-free during COVID and remained that way because of customer and worker preference, is the highest-grossing casino in Pennsylvania.”

She said many officials within the casino industry understand that tastes and behaviors have changed with regard to smoking, and that those tastes and behaviors should be addressed to keep people coming back to the brick-and-mortar casinos.

“The seven most dangerous words in business are ‘We have always done it this way,’” she said.

A measure in the New Jersey Legislature has repeatedly been introduced to ban smoking in casinos, but the bill has not moved out of committee.

Hallett noted that many lawmakers support the effort to prohibit smoking in casinos.

“Why then is this bill not moving further? Given my 30 years working on this issue as an advocate, it’s clear it is difficult for us to fight against big corporate entities like the tobacco industry, and, unfortunately, also the casino industry,” she said.

Johanna Rochat is an oncology nurse and volunteer with American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

She said every day, she treats cancer patients who are shocked, searching and desperate for answers. She said there are many things we still do not know about cancer.

“But we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that secondhand smoke causes cancer,” she said. “It includes hundreds of chemicals that are toxic, yet for 20 years, we have forced hardworking New Jerseyans to risk their lives for their livelihood.”

Rochat said research suggests that banning smoking in casinos would attract more visitors.

“Our state leaders should be siding with science and this economic reality,” she said. “They should do the right thing.”

CEASE sued the state of New Jersey in 2024, arguing state officials violated the constitutional rights of casino workers by allowing casinos to force them to work in a toxic environment.

The New Jersey Supreme Court could soon consider the case.