Atlantic City lawmakers had planned for a casino floor smoking ban to begin last fall, only to find that gaming revenue was already dipping precariously due to the onset of the recession. After a year's free pass to continue allowing smoking, the ban suspension is about to expire, raising the question of how much damage the casino industry will suffer if non-smoking once again becomes the rule for New Jersey gambling venues.Anti-smoking advocates care only about preventing others from smoking, asserting that the ban on casinos will save lives, worth any amount of money. But in a town which lost almost twenty percent of its gaming jobs last year, some are asking what good it will do them to breathe smoke-free air while in the unemployment line.
The ban was implemented for two weeks last year, during which already-steep casino revenue declines doubled. Now, with revenues already down fifteen percent, gaming operators are fearful a full smoking ban could be the last nail in many casino coffins.
Since returning to the rule that a maximum of a quarter of the casino floor can permit smokers, areas featuring smoking in casinos have done markedly more business than non-smoking, indicating a strong desire by patrons to retain smoking areas.
Politicians and casino operators alike fear that if anti-smoking groups have their way, they will reverse the traditional flow of gambling revenue from Pennsylvania to New Jersey, completing the collapse of New Jersey gaming. Pennsylvania allows smoking on half of gambling floors.
Published on September 29, 2009 by VirginiaMaddox
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