A visitor plays a slot machine at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S., on Thursday, July 2, 2020.
Atlantic City gambling, dealt a blow by newly opened betting markets in other states, was enjoying a slow comeback when Mu TRENTON, N.J. - Tammy Brady began her career as an Atlantic City casino dealer at the age of 18.
Now 55, she has stage 2 breast cancer."While I'm not sure we will ever know the exact cause of my illness, I can't help but wonder if it would have happened if the casinos hadn't forced me to work in second-hand smoke," said Brady, who works at the Borgata casino.Holly Diebler, a craps dealer at Tropicana, is undergoing chemotherapy for throat cancer."I don't even know how long I'm going to live," she said. "I love my job; I don't want to leave it.
But all my oncologists have told me this is a life-and-death choice."They were among numerous casino employees who testified Thursday before two state Assembly committees in favor of a bill that would prohibit smoking in Atlantic City's nine casinos.No vote was taken on the bill, as in an identical hearing on Feb.