The introduction of a permanent smoking ban in Atlantic City casinos could cost up to 2,500 jobs and cause a decline in gaming and tax revenue for the state of New Jersey, according to a new analysis by independent research and professional services firm Spectrum Gaming Group.
The report, commissioned by the Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ), which has long opposed the introduction of the proposed ban, shows Atlantic City would be at risk of seeing as much as a 10% reduction in workforce from the loss of between 1,000 and 2,500 jobs. Moreover, it could lead to as much as a 10.9% drop in revenue if the ban were enacted.
The CANJ has reiterated it does not consider this to be “the time for a smoking ban” as both the Garden State and the region are still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic. Casino employment in Atlantic City is at a 20-year low, the association…
