A majority of New Jersey residents who responded to a latest ballot expressed assist for completely extinguishing indoor smoking at Atlantic Metropolis casinos.
Members of the “On line casino Workers Towards Smoking’s Results (CEASE)” rally in Atlantic Metropolis in April of 2022. A brand new ballot exhibits assist amongst New Jersey adults to finish indoor on line casino smoking. (Picture: AP)
Carried out by Stockton College’s Polling Institute on the William J. Hughes Middle for Public Coverage, 62% of respondents mentioned they’re in favor of ending the clear indoor air loophole given to the 9 casinos.
The New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act of 2006 gives exemptions for gaming and simulcast wagering amenities to designate sections for indoor smoking. For casinos, the properties can put aside as much as 25% of their gaming house for smoking.
The Stockton ballot included responses from 640 grownup residents. Whereas 62% mentioned they endorse a on line casino smoking ban, a bit of greater than 31% mentioned they imagine the present regulatory surroundings ought to proceed unchanged. The remaining 6% mentioned they had been uncertain.
Regional Variations
Stockton College pollsters defined that the smoking query outcomes fluctuated, primarily based on the place the particular person being polled resided.
These within the northern a part of New Jersey most distanced from Atlantic Metropolis extra closely backed a hypothetical smoking ban. These in Southern New Jersey tended to have much less enthusiasm for ending the casinos’ indoor tobacco permittance.
There’s nonetheless a majority in South Jersey supporting the ban, but it surely’s barely decrease — 59% in South Jersey would assist it,” John Froonjian, director of the William J. Hughes Middle for Public Coverage, informed New Jersey 101.5.
“There are extra people who find themselves depending on the on line casino business for jobs within the south, and the on line casino business has mentioned that if this ban goes into impact, they’ll lose income, and that can translate into job losses,” Froonjian added.
A examine was commissioned by the On line casino Affiliation of New Jersey (CANJ) on the financial results a on line casino smoking ban would produce. It concluded that gross gaming income (GGR) would drop as a lot as 25% within the first 12 months after such a regulatory change. Gaming analyst John DeCree of Union Gaming got here to an identical conclusion this week by means of his personal analysis.
Brick-and-mortar on line casino income stays suppressed in contrast with pre-pandemic ranges. The gaming business, in addition to the main on line casino staff’ union, argues that additional GGR declines would lead to a considerable discount in jobs.
Atlantic Metropolis casinos have already laid off many staff since 2018. On the finish of March, the 9 resorts collectively employed 21,961 full- and part-time staff. In the summertime of 2018, following the openings of Arduous Rock and Ocean On line casino, whole on line casino employment eclipsed 30,200 folks.
Secondhand Smoke Risks
Casinos are outfitted with high-tech air air flow programs that routinely swap in clear, purified air for contaminated air. However well being consultants say on line casino workers nonetheless face dangerous work environments due to the continuing indoor smoking allowance.
There isn’t any risk-free degree of publicity to secondhand smoke,” the US Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention explains on its web site.
The federal well being company provides that secondhand smoke publicity can result in coronary coronary heart illness, stroke, and lung most cancers. The CDC says secondhand smoke in infants — predominantly attributable to pregnant moms who proceed to smoke — ends in greater than 1,000 toddler deaths yearly.
