Hawaii Gambling Bills Stall Again Despite Months of Debate

For a long time, lawmakers in Hawaii have been discussing various bills to legalize gambling in the state. However, while much progress was made in recent months, it seems that those bills will go nowhere after much discussion.

Hawaii’s Gambling Bills Are “All Dead”

Sen. Glenn Wakai, chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs, said the measures are effectively “on the operating room floor, all dead.” He added that the community is not receptive to Hawaii becoming the 49th state to allow gambling and questioned whether that is something to take pride in.

In an election year, bold initiatives such as legalized gambling typically struggle to gain traction. Still, proposals that remain alive in the House include a measure to legalize online-only sports betting and another bill that would ban online prediction markets.

Hawaii has long stood out as an exception in the US gaming landscape, as it is one of only two states, the other one being Utah, that prohibit all forms of legal gambling. There have been many attempts to legalize some form of gambling in the state over the years, but so far, all of them have been unsuccessful. 

This notion was once again challenged in January when legislators proposed HB 2222, which aimed to create a proper casino framework. With the most recent turn of events, however, that bill is essentially mute. 

Why Have Gambling Bills Folded?

Many reasons could be blamed for the most recent failure in a line of attempts to bring gambling to Hawaii. A major one could be the fact that the state has lacked a legalized gambling structure for many years, so locals may simply not want any form of gambling in the state, as they are accustomed to this way. 

Another reason might just be the fact that legislators have had multiple other, more important things to worry about, rather than gambling. Lawmakers have been discussing a few key tax measures in the face of House Bill 2306 and House Bill 2575. The former would stop planned future increases in tax deductions, if it passes, while the latter would tax rental car companies on new vehicles they buy. There’s even a proposal to sell naming rights for Aloha Stadium in discussion right now. This could potentially bring in more than $1.5 million a year to the state’s economy.

It’s a shame for gambling enthusiasts who hoped there would be gambling in the state. Even HB 2570, which proposed that at least six online sports betting platforms would be available in Hawaii, has been put on hold. However, considering there have been various attempts to legalize some form of gambling in the state, we might see Hawaii lawmakers once again propose similar bills in the near future.