Doug Bonjour is a veteran sportswriter with more than a decade of experience, including in the realm of sports betting. He’s written for the New York Times, Associated Press, CBS Sports and Hearst Connecticut Media...
Read Full BioSports betting expansion has slowed after an early rush, but it might not be long before Hawaii enters the fray.
The Aloha State moved a step closer to legalizing online sports betting after House Bill 1308 passed through the Senate on Tuesday.
The bill, which also calls for the return of daily fantasy sports contests (DFS), cleared by a 15-10 vote and will return to the House for concurrence. Should that chamber approve the measure, Gov. Josh Green, a Democrat, will have the choice of whether or not to sign it into law. Green has been neutral on the matter but did acknowledge the potential economic benefits.
In an interview Tuesday with Hawaii News Now, Green suggested that the state could help fund a multi-million dollar project to rebuild Aloha Stadium and the surrounding area.
“That is the one way to immediately guarantee you could build an $800 million stadium,” Green said, “and it would be an attraction. Again, some people will be hesitant. All I can tell you is it’s on the rail, and people would have to go there to possibly lose their money, maybe make some money, but a lot of people find entertainment in that.
“I see a lot of local families going to Las Vegas, and I would love for them to stay here when they can. That’s another consideration.”
Hawaii Holds Unique Viewpoint
Thirty-nine states plus Washington, D.C., have already legalized sports betting in some form, though there’s been a noticeable absence of expansion since North Carolina in March 2024. As the only state besides Utah without any form of legal gambling — neither has a state lottery nor casinos — Hawaii finds itself in a unique position.
The bill calls for a minimum of four licenses, where each operator would pay $250,000 if approved, plus a 10% tax on gross gaming revenue. Estimates for tax revenue range between $10-20 million. BetMGM Sportsbook and DraftKings are expected to fill two of those spots after testifying in favor of the bill.
The bill must pass by 2 May, the final day of Hawaii’s 2025 legislative session.
If signed into law, the bill would go into effect on 1 July. However, Hawaii’s actual launch date likely won’t be until closer to 2026. Most states take between six months to a year to get up and running following approval.
Differing Viewpoints on Hawaii Sports Betting Legalization
The bill’s proponents have raised concerns over the prevalence of unregulated gaming and believe legislation would address the need for more oversight and accountability.
“Sports betting is already happening across our islands — it’s just happening through bookies and unsafe offshore websites that don’t have any consumer protections and allow minors to bet,” said Rep. Daniel Holt, the bill’s sponsor. “With this legislation, we can join the 38 other states that have created regulated, consumer-protected sports betting markets and create millions in revenue for our state.”
Not everyone is on board, though.
Oihana I Ka Loio Kuhina, Hawaii’s Attorney General, cited studies showing that sports betting leads to “adverse societal impacts, high costs to address those adverse impacts, and increased crime.”
