No applicant for or holder of a casino license, nor any holding, intermediary or subsidiary company thereof, nor any officer, director, casino key employee or principal employee of an applicant for or holder of a casino license or of any holding, intermediary or subsidiary company thereof nor any person or agent on behalf of any such applicant, holder, company or person, shall directly or indirectly, pay or contribute any money or thing of value to any candidate for nomination or election to any public office in this State, or to any committee of any political party in this State, or to any group, committee or association organized in support of any such candidate or political party; except that the provisions of this section shall not be construed to prohibit any individual who is a candidate for the governing body of Atlantic City from contributing to the candidate's own campaign.
N.J.S. § 5:12-138