Governor Murphy Must Cement His Legacy As a Man of His Word and Protector of Public Health by Signing Smokefree Legislation

For Immediate Release:
December 18, 2025

Contact:
ceasesmokingnj@gmail.com

Trenton, NJ — Over the past four years, casino workers have been fighting to close the loophole in New Jersey’s Clean Indoor Act and extend smokefree protections to casino workers. This fight shouldn’t have been necessary—after issuing a temporary moratorium on smoking in casinos during the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Phil Murphy lifted the restriction on July 4, 2021, forcing workers to once again bear the brunt of toxic secondhand smoke. Four years later, this worker-led movement is still fighting for our right to clean air. As Governor Murphy’s time in office comes to a close, Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) is calling on him to cement his legacy as a man of his word by pushing the legislature to pass existing bipartisan legislation that would the casino smoking loophole to be sent to his desk during the lame duck session.

“Since 2021, Governor Murphy has voiced his support for closing the casino smoking loophole, stating unequivocally that if a bill came to his desk, he would sign it into law,” said Pete Naccarelli, longtime Atlantic City table games dealer and co-founder of CEASE. “We’ve heard him say this again and again, and it’s simply not enough. Today, smokefree casino legislation is still stalled in the legislature while Governor Murphy turns a blind eye. Almost 80% of South Jersey voters say they would view the governor more favorably if he signed a smokefree casino bill into law. So why are we still fighting for our basic right to breathe clean air in the workplace? It is time for Governor Murphy to show us the kind of leader he really is as he leaves public office. What will he choose to be his legacy? Will he show us that he values public health and economic prosperity, and that he champions the issues that matter most to his constituents?”

CEASE sent a letter to Governor Murphy signed by 160 casino workers, calling on him to sign the smokefree casino bill into law before he leaves office. “Despite your verbal support, Governor Murphy, your actions have fallen short,” says the letter. “Time and again, casino workers have asked you to take proactive action to call on the legislature to send a bill to your desk. Instead of doing so, you have reversed course when asked, going as far as to propagate the false narrative that eliminating indoor smoking could negatively impact business in Atlantic City. We both know this statement is untrue: In September of 2022, you stated in a public Q&A session that ‘at the end of the day, we will still get good business. Atlantic City is an American gem. We’ve got the ocean and the other competitors don’t. And this is the right thing for our respective health.’”

Read the full letter here.

Read a timeline of Governor Murphy’s position and actions on smokefree casinos here.

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Casino Employees Against Smoking (Harmful) Effects (CEASE) is a group of thousands of casino dealers and other frontline gaming workers that formed after indoor smoking returned on July 4, 2021 in Atlantic City, NJ and has expanded to states around the country. CEASE is fighting to permanently remove smoking from our workplaces.

See what casino workers say about working in secondhand smoke: the Real Deal

See what casino workers’ kids say about their moms and dads who work in secondhand smoke: kids of CEASE