- Hawaii Senate Committee advances sports betting bill
- Full Senate to vote on House Bill 1308 by May 2
- Potential legalized sports betting could launch this summer
The Aloha State took its biggest step towards the potential of legalized Hawaii sports betting this week. House Bill 1308 easily passed through a Senate Committee vote, therefore, moving on to the full Senate for a third reading.
The current legislative session runs until May 2 and if approved, the plan eyes July 1 as a potential launch day for online Hawaii sports betting.
House Bill 1308 Would Grant Four Sportsbook Licenses
The Senate Ways and Means Committee advanced House Bill 1308 (HB 1308) by a vote of 11-2. A 35-15 vote was also previously approved by the state House of Representatives and a 6-4 vote by the Hawaii House Committee on Economic Development and Technology.
Amendments to the bill included changing the regulatory agency to the Department of Law Enforcement.
HB 1308 would allow four online operators to gain a license to operate in Hawaii and does not include retail sports betting.
A similar bill that focused on casino gaming, SB 893, had previously been indefinitely deferred.
Of the many prominent sportsbooks operating in the United States, DraftKings, Fanduel, Fanatics and BetMGM look the most likely to earn licenses based on their strong support for the bill.
The tax rate of sports betting is recommended to be 10%, with licensing fees being $250,000.
While online sports betting could go live by summer, the deadline to launch as described in HB 1308 is January 1, 2026.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green has stated he’s neutral on legalized gambling but that the majority of residents polled are in favor.
“We got a survey or poll of people, and about two out of three in our state wanted to do gaming as long as the monies went to an important set of projects, mostly housing …,” he said.
We got a survey or poll of people, and about two out of three in our state wanted to do gaming as long as the monies went to an important set of projects, mostly housing. – Hawaii Governor Josh Greeen
Hawaii sports betting may be inching closer to legalization, however, there are still detractors, with Honolulu Prosecutor Steve Alm among them. His concerns stem from the possibility of creating a new generation of young problem gamblers. Other government bodies, plus religious and anti-gaming groups and concerned families have spoken out against legalization.
History of Hawaii Sports Betting
Hawaii is one of 11 states that is yet to offer some form of legal sports betting. It’s also one of only two (Utah) to offer zero forms of gambling, not even offering a lottery. Other forms of wagering like daily fantasy sports and horse racing are also not allowed in Hawaii.
Previous attempts to advance sports betting bills have failed. Multiple bills in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and more recently House Bill 2765 in 2024, haven’t made it past the chamber floor.
Currently, available sports betting only comes in the form of Hawaii offshore sportsbooks located and licensed internationally. It’s estimated that $300 million was wagered in the offshore markets in Hawaii in 2022. That’s an amount which some lawmakers wish to see remain within the state, therefore, generating approximately $10-20 million in tax revenue.
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