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 legalization efforts in Hawaii are over for 2025.
House Bill 1308, introduced by Rep. Daniel Holt, passed both the House and Senate but stalled when legislators could not reach an agreement before an April 25 deadline.
“We put our best effort forward,” said Democrat Holt. “We got it very far this year, this deep into conference, but it seems as if we have not come to agreement on details: the tax amount, who would operate, would house the operation of the sports betting, and give out the license and licensing fees.”
He continued: “It is what it is, and we just got to work harder next year, try to answer the questions that the rest of the members and the public has and see if we can capture this tax revenue that we much need for our state.”
Hawaii Sports Betting Bill Dies Despite Touted Gov. Support
The original bill would have allowed a minimum of four licenses, and each operator would pay $250,000 if approved, plus a 10% tax on adjusted gross revenue. Estimates for tax revenue ranged between $10 and $20 million.
It also called for the return of daily fantasy sports contests (DFS).
Gov. Josh Green had signaled his support for the bill, suggesting it could help fund the new multi-million-dollar Aloha Stadium project. This includes the construction of a new stadium and land development, as well as a surrounding entertainment district with restaurants, housing, hotels, and cultural amenities.
Despite initial momentum, Hawaii will be without legal sports betting for at least another year.
“That is the one way to immediately guarantee you could build an $800 million stadium, and it would be an attraction,” Green said last month. “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.”
Roadblocks to Bill’s Passage Remain
While 38 states plus Washington, D.C., offer sports betting in some form, efforts to get it legalized in Hawaii continue to face obstacles.
Despite Green’s vow to implement safeguards against problem gambling, concerns remain about the state’s ability to provide proper regulations.
Opponents of the bill included members of Hawaii’s Department of Law Enforcement.
“It’s nearly impossible to regulate in a way that truly protects consumers,” Honolulu Police Department Chief Joe Logan said in a statement. “Our department sees firsthand how gambling-related crime erodes the safety of neighborhoods.”
Holt sees it differently. The bill’s sponsor said last month the proposed measures 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,” Holt said. “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.”
The Sports Betting Alliance reacted on social media to the bill’s failure, writing, “Hawaii can’t afford to ignore the illegal sports betting market any longer. A legal, regulated market would provide fundamental safeguards and protections for players while generating millions in revenue for Hawaii.”
“It’s time to get this right.”
