Atlantic City is one of the hottest casino spots in the world. But of late it has been more in the news for smoking rather than gambling.

Last week an ordinance was passed banning smoking on the casino floor. Smoking would be allowed only in smoking lounges where there are no gambling tables.

Last year the city council had tried to enforce a similar law. However under fierce opposition from the casino industry they agreed to a compromise that restricted the smoking zone to 25% of the gambling area. This year the council appears to have greater resolve and has unanimously gone ahead with the ordinance. But the law has some way to go before it comes into effect.

The ordinance will have to come up for a final vote in two weeks. If passed then it will come into effect only on October 15, 2008. A lot can happen in this time. Donald Trump, who owns a casino in Atlantic City, has come out heavily against the proposed law. Trump is himself a non-smoker who abhors smoking. He has appeared in public service announcements to end smoking.

However, he claims that for most people smoking and gambling go hand in hand. If smoking is banned in casinos then gambling will suffer and the bottom line will be severely hit. If the ban is adopted in the final vote then Trump will initiate legal action to protect his business interests. He had earlier opposed the partial ban as well. Trump is quick to point out that the state of New Jersey would also lose tax revenue if the ban were enforced.

According to Trump players from all over the world come to Atlantic City to play poker or blackjack or other casino games. They can as easily go to Las Vegas or Monte Carlo or any of the other gambling hot spots if they do not get a suitable environment to play. Therefore the proposed ban will put Atlantic City at a considerable competitive disadvantage. Over the last year the eleven casinos of Atlantic City have suffered a 5.7% decline in revenue. Several regulars have come out in support of Trump and have threatened to play elsewhere after October 15.

Though Trump has been vociferous in his opposition, unfortunately he has not received adequate support from his colleagues in the industry. The president of the Casino Association, Joseph A. Corbo Jr. was not available for comment. Another member of the Casino Association board, Mark Giannatonio of Tropicana Casino and Resort, was thankful that smoking was at least allowed in the smoking lounges. It would have been worse had smoking been banned altogether he opined. Spokespersons for the employees welcome the ban. Joe Ashton of the United Auto Workers union, which is trying to unionize casino dealers, commented that second hand smoking was ruining the health of employees. Most employees were in agreement.

But it is not that Atlantic City casinos are the first to face a ban on smoking. Since January 1, 2008, casinos in Colorado were brought under the purview of the Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act of 2006 and hence smoking was banned in these casinos.