CEASE Sees Hope for Change in Atlantic City Smoking Policy After Sherrill Wins NJ Governor’s Race

^{Mikie Sherrill’s victory in the New Jersey governor’s race could pave the way for smoke-free casinos in Atlantic City. (Photo: Rod Lamkey / CNP)}

Democratic Representative Mikie Sherrill defeated the Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli, to win the New Jersey governor’s race on Tuesday night, a win anti-smoking advocates say could help them shift policy at Atlantic City casinos.

Sherrill won the election by more than 400,000 votes, collecting approximately 56% of the vote compared to 43% for Ciattarelli.

CEASE Congratulates Sherrill on Victory

The victory drew praise from Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE), which has previously praised Sherrill for her support for ending the exemption that allows Atlantic City casinos to keep smoking available on portions of their gaming floors.

“We congratulate Governor-elect Sherrill on her win and appreciate the opportunity we’ve had to discuss the urgent need to protect casino workers from secondhand smoke,” CAESE co-founder Pete Naccarelli said in a statement. “Sherrill showed a willingness to listen and engage with us during her campaign, and we’re hopeful that as she takes office, she’ll stand with the tens of thousands of casino workers whose health depends on ending this outdated exemption.”

Sherril has previously said she’s open to changing the policy, either by eliminating the casino exemption to New Jersey’s 2006 Smoke-Free Air Act or by reaching some sort of compromise with casino owners.

“I thought it was a weird fight to have, because to me that’s saying our clientele are all going to be older, right?” Sherrill said about the Atlantic City smoking debate to a crowd at Fairleigh Dickinson University in August. “Because younger people don’t smoke cigarettes in the same way. If you’re looking at younger people and the future, it seems like a weird fight to have.”

Efforts to Ban Smoking Have Come Up Short in Atlantic City

While Sherrill has voiced sympathy for casino workers, she’s also suggested that a full smoking ban may not be the right course of action.

“I know there is ongoing work being done on compromise legislation, and I want to see a proposal that prioritizes employees’ health and also keeps good-paying jobs here in Atlantic City,” Sherrill told Politico on the topic last year. “We need to make sure Atlantic City’s tourism industry remains competitive – and their economy more vibrant – so I am committed to finding common ground to support these workers at a time when we know everyone is struggling to get by.”

Casino operators in Atlantic City and some workers remain opposed to changing the current policy, warning that casinos could lose significant revenue if smoking is banned from gaming floors. They have pointed to earlier examples of dramatic losses when smoking bans were tried. 

However, CEASE and other anti-smoking groups say that these fears are outdated. The group has pointed to recent studies and real-world examples that appear to show no negative impact on casinos that prohibit smoking, along with a nationwide decline in smoking as a whole. Gallup found in 2024 that only 11% of Americans reported smoking a cigarette in the past week, and surveys have found that most casino-goers support smoke-free gaming environments.

Despite those trends, those numbers haven’t led to change in New Jersey. Legal efforts to overturn the casino exemption have failed, and while outgoing Governor Phil Murphy also said he would sign a bill banning casino smoking if one reached his desk, legislative efforts have stalled despite apparent bipartisan support.