Atlantic City Looks To Outdoor Gambling to Solve Smoking Impasse

Many Atlantic City casino workers want smoking banned inside their workplaces. But gaming and casino association executives fear a smoking ban would hurt their bottom line. Now, outdoor gambling is being floated as a compromise.

Casino workers have called on the New Jersey Legislature for more than two years to enact a bill that bans smoking from inside Atlantic City’s nine casinos, according to a report by the Associated Press. They are practically the only state workplaces that still allow it.

More than half the state’s lawmakers have signed on to this bill as sponsors or cosponsors. Democratic state Sen. Shirley Turner, a sponsor, called it “imperative” that indoor smoking end in casinos.

There are solutions, such as truly outdoor areas for guests who smoke, that do not compromise worker health,” Turner said.

However, the bill has languished for months without a hearing. A bill introduced last year suffered a similar fate. Workers blame pushback from the Casino Association of New Jersey, the industry’s trade association, which has stated that a smoking ban would lead to lower earnings and fewer jobs.

“Additional time is required to devise and implement a solution that will address the concerns of our employees without jeopardizing jobs and benefits to seniors,” said Joe Lupo, president of the Casino Association.

Take it Outside, Buddy!

Gambling in outdoor areas seems to provide the only hope of satisfying both sides. Workers, casino officials, and state legislators are currently discussing what that might look like in Atlantic City, According to the AP.

We’ve been speaking about this idea with the industry and with the state government since before the summer,” said Bob McDevitt, president of Local 54 of the Unite Here casino workers union. “We want to resolve this with a solution that works for everyone, and I believe that’s attainable.”

In Las Vegas, outdoor gambling mostly occurs around, and sometimes in, swimming pools, with card games offered at swim-up tables. But Atlantic City already has outdoor gambling like that.

Ironing Out the Details

About 10 years ago, the Golden Nugget debuted a gambling deck that is similarly open to the elements. But Atlantic City’s colder weather months make this an unlikely solution for the area. Atlantic City’s average low temperature dips into the 30s from December to March.

In contrast, Maryland’s definition of outdoor gambling is an enclosed space, separate from the floor, with a roof, walls and some openings to allow air inside.

“The devil is in the details,” Pete Naccarelli, a dealer at the Borgata, told AP. “As long as no worker is exposed to secondhand smoke, a truly outdoor area could be a workable solution.”