Atlantic City casino workers are urging New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to address the casino smoking issue during his 2025 State of the State Address. Workers hope he'll push lawmakers to eliminate the smoking exemption currently granted to gaming properties.

The state's Smoke-Free Air Act of 2006 allows casinos with at least 150 slot machines or 10 table games to designate indoor smoking areas. CEASE (Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects) has been fighting to end this loophole for years, with Murphy expressing support but taking limited action.

Lamont White, CEASE co-founder and Borgata dealer, emphasizes that Murphy's legacy depends on addressing this issue before leaving office. Currently, Assembly Bill 2143 and Senate Bill 3372 aim to end casino smoking but remain stalled in committee.

While casino industry leaders claim a smoking ban would hurt revenue and jobs, CEASE points to successful smoke-free operations like Pennsylvania's Parx Casino, the state's top-grossing facility, as evidence that smoke-free policies can benefit business.

The push for action gained momentum after Murphy's temporary COVID-19 smoking ban expired in summer 2021. Though Murphy claims he cannot unilaterally change the 2006 law, workers are demanding he use his influence to drive legislative action to protect thousands of casino employees from secondhand smoke exposure.

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