Second House Committee Approves Hawaii Sports Betting Bill

Hawaii could soon be saying “Aloha” to legal online sports betting.

A bill to legalize online sports betting in Hawaii was passed by the House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee last week. This marks the second House committee to advance the bill, giving proponents real hope to legalize the industry. 

One of the bill's strongest supporters is Representative Daniel Holt. He has proposed several bills to legalize forms of gambling, though the efforts have failed. When asked about the bill currently being considered, Holt echoed previous concerns about residents already gambling using offshore platforms. 

Holt’s concerns have been a common argument for sports betting proponents nationwide, and they aren’t unfounded. Even though problem gambling remains illegal in Hawaii, places like Hawaii are still seeing an uptick in it. Legalizing the industry could help keep bettors safe and fund problem gambling programs.

Hawaii is one of just two US states that have no form of legal gambling.

Opponents Remain Steadfast

While proponents celebrate the bill's passage in another House committee, the fight is far from over. The list of opponents to the bill continues to grow, including the Honolulu Police Department. The leadership of the department has warned people of the dangers of gambling, which includes crime and suicide. 

On top of opposition from the state’s largest police force, many lawmakers are against the industry. They worry that the problem gambling funds won’t be nearly enough to prevent a massive spike in gambling addiction, which has been the case in most US markets. 

The market would represent a unique set of challenges since Hawaii is almost 2500 miles from the continental US. That was because lawmakers were concerned that what works for a continental state may not work in Hawaii. That could have devastating consequences for the state, risking a rise in problem gambling but receiving far less tax revenue than expected.