The Atlantic City Council's casino smoking ban lasted 12 days before being suspended for at least a year, the Press of Atlantic City reported Oct. 28.

A law unanimously passed in April expanded an existing smoking ban from 75 percent to 100 percent of the gaming floors at Atlantic City casinos, but was reversed by a 5-4 vote. City officials promised to revisit the ban when the local economy picks up.

Two of the city's  largest gaming operators said they have suffered a 10-percent decline in business at their casinos since the ban went into effect Oct. 15, and the New Jersey Casino Control Commission said gaming revenue for the entire industry dropped 19.5 percent over the last week.

Gamblers are spending less money on the casino floor and are spending more time in areas where they can smoke, gambling officials claimed. However, Janice Walton, a Caesars Atlantic City card dealer, said she hadn't noticed a change since the ban went into effect. "We are not telling them they can't smoke," she said. "We're only telling them where they can smoke."