John Brennan

"You can't just ban it — you have to regulate it," said New York Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr., who has pushed to legalize online gaming in all forms.

"Do you want the tax revenue, and do you want your citizens to be protected? That's the real question," said FanDuel's James Hartmann.

Panelists said that operators should make a preemptive plan with the assumption that ICE will visit their properties sooner or later.

The expected new tax rate of 19.75% — after more than a decade at 15% — will lead to a more modest bottom line for operators.

The ultimate question — will a casino wind up with a net gain or loss of revenue from a smoking ban? — remains a topic of debate.

“We’ve learned a lot from the debacle that we had in 2016, including that we have to pick specific sites,” said lobbyist Bill Pascrell III.

"The integration of gambling education could help demystify the concept of gambling," reads the task force's report.

A doubling of the tax rate on online gambling would only affect players in indirect ways, such as fewer promotions and other incentives.

Despite Murphy's silence, Resorts CEO Mark Giannantonio is confident his industry will persuade Murphy that such a tax hike would be unwise.