Opponents of casino smoking in Atlantic City are pleading with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D) to support legislation that would prohibit indoor tobacco use on the nine gambling floors during his final months in office.

Murphy has long stated that if a bill to outlaw smoking in Atlantic City casinos were to reach his desk, he would sign it. However, his detractors claim that he has been reluctant to take the lead and has instead caved in to special interests and the gambling sector.The former Goldman Sachs executive is being urged by CEASE, or Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects, to take matters into his own hands as Murphy's time is limited and his days are running out. According to the grassroots group, smoke-free regulations benefit casinos rather than harm them, and more significantly, they safeguard both employees and patrons.

"Governor Murphy can and should push for bills that he and his administration have committed to prioritizing — like 100% smoke-free air in casinos. Casino workers have been fighting for the last five years to close the loophole in New Jersey’s Clean Indoor Act and extend smokefree protections to casino workers, and now, Governor Murphy only has a few months left to show them his support,” Pete Naccarelli, a longtime Borgata table game dealer and a CEASE co-founder, said in remarks to Casino.org.

Murphy's replacement will take office on January 20, 2026, marking the end of his mandate.

Smoking at the Atlantic City Casino 

The 2006 indoor smoking statute in New Jersey gives casinos a carveout that permits them to set aside up to 25% of their gaming area for cigars and cigarettes.

Casinos are not required by law to maintain smoking sections in areas that are fenced off and have separate ventilation systems. As a result, all nine of the casinos along the New Jersey coast have secondhand smoke.

According to a survey conducted in April by the Washington, DC-based polling and strategy firm Normington Petts, 83% of Southern New Jersey voters are in favor of making the Atlantic City casinos smoke-free. Nearly 60% of respondents stated that they "strongly" support banning secondhand smoke from resorts. However, the casino business argues that a smoking ban would negatively impact in-person earnings. Given that casino licenses for New York City will shortly be granted, it might be disastrous for a few resorts.

Although CEASE members dispute the industry's assertions, they maintain that the health of employees and guests should take precedence over the financial success of casinos.

"Polls have shown that there is overwhelming support for smoke-free casinos. Governor Murphy has the opportunity in his final months in office to prove himself a champion of his constituents’ health by pursuing clean air. This is a chance for Governor Murphy to decide what his legacy will be for years to come,” Naccarelli continued.

“Will his administration be one that supported New Jersey workers?” the Borgata dealer asked.

Gubernatorial Odds for 2025 

Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Miki Sherrill are vying to succeed Murphy in 2025.

Currently serving in the Garden State's 11th district (Morris County), Sherrill is a congressman from New Jersey. Murphy defeated Ciattarelli, a former state representative, by 3% in the 2021 gubernatorial contest.

Sherrill is the clear favorite, according to bettors on prediction websites. Regarding whether they are in favor of banning smoking in Atlantic City casinos, neither Ciattarelli nor Sherrill have made a statement.