“I am responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of chips,” said Borgata dealer Pete Naccarelli, one of the leaders of the anti-smoking movement in Atlantic City. Just three of the nine casinos - Borgata, Ocean and Resorts - surpassed their pre-pandemic revenue levels in terms of money won from in-person gamblers last year. The other half was won online and must be shared with third parties including tech platforms and sports books.

The issue is among the most divisive in Atlantic City, where even though casino revenue matched its all time high of $5.2 billion last year, only half that amount was won from in-person gamblers.