Casinos in the northeastern U.S. are taking on a number of challenges as they prepare for the arrival of new competitors in New York City. At a major casino conference in Atlantic City on Wednesday, attendees raised a number of challenges, including a possible smoking ban in Atlantic City, the ongoing debate over whether Internet gambling is hurting or helping the bottom line of brick-and-mortar casinos, and the loss of illegal online business. At the East Coast Gaming Congress at Hard Rock casino, experts discussed the upheaval in the industry, particularly as it prepares for the influx of three downstate New York casinos that are widely expected to redefine the region's gaming market.