Lawmakers in New Jersey Should Take a Page from New Orleans’s Playbook to Pass Smokefree Casino Legislation

New Orleans, LA — This Sunday, as Super Bowl LIX kicks off at the Caesars Superdome, visitors from across the country will experience what New Orleans residents have enjoyed for the past decade: a world-class entertainment scene without the toxic haze of secondhand smoke. Whether dining at any of New Orleans’s world-famous bars and restaurants or playing slots at Caesars New Orleans, guests can breathe easy knowing that the city’s smokefree protections extend to everyone — including casino workers.

Ten years ago, New Orleans passed a landmark smokefree ordinance that extended to casinos over the objections of the gaming industry. Over the last decade, the city’s entertainment scene has thrived, proving that cities and states can prioritize workers’ health and safety while also supporting a thriving local economy. Caesars Entertainment, for example, has had an incredibly successful last ten years in New Orleans, opening a new concert venue, completing a $435 million renovation to its New Orleans casino, and even purchasing the naming rights to the very stadium hosting this year’s Super Bowl.  

“This weekend, New Orleans has more to celebrate than just hosting the Super Bowl,” said Lamont White, casino worker and Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) co-founder. “The success of the smokefree ordinance in New Orleans proves what casino workers have known for years — smokefree gaming is a win for everyone. Gaming cities across the country like Atlantic City should take note of the New Orleans model. It’s time to pass legislation that prioritizes the health and wellbeing of our cities and closes the casino smoking loophole everywhere.” As lawmakers across the country begin new legislative sessions, CEASE is calling on those from entertainment hubs like Atlantic City to pass 100% smokefree legislation now.

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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.