A Decade of Healthier Workplaces and Economic Success Proves Smokefree Policies Benefit Workers and the Industry Alike
New Orleans, LA — Exactly ten years ago today, New Orleans passed a landmark smokefree ordinance that extended protections to casino workers despite strong opposition from gaming industry leaders. A decade later, the city’s thriving entertainment industry, paired with significant health improvements for casino employees, underscores what casino workers across the country, including in Atlantic City, have been saying for years: smokefree casinos are a win for everyone.
“Ten years of smokefree casinos in New Orleans prove what we already know – protecting workers from dangerous secondhand smoke doesn’t hurt business; it helps it thrive,” said Pete Naccarelli, casino worker and CEASE co-founder. “But Caesars Entertainment’s success in New Orleans shows us that casino executives don’t have to sacrifice workers’ safety to succeed. It’s hard to imagine why casino workers in Atlantic City and other gaming cities are still being left behind – cities like Atlantic City can and should follow in New Orleans’s footsteps. It’s time for lawmakers to ensure healthier workplaces. We’ve waited long enough.”
Despite resisting the smokefree law, the New Orleans casino industry has seen great success over the last ten years. Caesars Entertainment, for example, was able to complete several large-scale projects, including opening a new concert venue in 2019, purchasing the naming rights to the Superdome stadium in 2021, and completing a $435 million renovation to its New Orleans casino in 2024. These projects demonstrate how gaming cities can protect workers’ health and safety while maintaining a thriving entertainment industry.
New Orleans casino workers have also seen the benefits of going smokefree. According to a 2015 study by the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, the air quality of bars and casinos improved by more than 95% after the ordinance went into effect. This effect shows that smokefree policies allow casino employees to do their best work and earn their livelihoods without having to sacrifice their health.
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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. For more information, visit ceasesmoking.org.
Read more about smokefree casinos.
See the Real Deal Videos about CEASE.
