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Casino Gambling Tables
New Jersey Smoke- Free Act to Limit Smoking to Gambling Tables AreasThe New Jersey State Assembly, if all proceeds as expected, will pass the Smoke- Free Air Act on Monday. This act, wherein it applies to casinos, will prohibit smoking in hotels and bars but will allow it at the section of the casino with gambling tables and machines.The decision to allow smoking around casino gambling tables is essentially a compromise between two groups with very strongly held positions. On one hand, the industry is not satisfied with a ban everywhere but the gaming floor. A study commissioned by the Casino Association of New Jersey concluded that a full ban on smoking in casinos would lead to declines in growth in the double- digits, in tandem with significant job loss. Although the study did not examine the effects of a partial ban, it is safe to assume that such a regulation would cause at least some decline. Others, however, argue that allowing smoking is harmful to employees’ health, noting that employees who work in gambling tables areas are just as vulnerable. State officials agree that the balance is delicate, noting that the casino industry is vital for New Jersey’s economic well- being. Over 45,000 New Jersey residents are employed in the state’s casinos, filling positions from casino bar hostess to dealer at the gambling tables. Some New Jersey casinos, such as the Tal Mahal and the Borgata in Atlantic City, already have smoke- free areas in rooms with gambling tables.
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