Hawaii’s State House Passes Five Bills On Gambling

In a positive next step for the island’s chances of establishing a gambling industry, Hawaii’s lawmakers have given the nod for five separate pieces of gambling legislation to be referred through to committee stage. The Pacific-based territory has been historically cold towards any form of wagering, joining Utah as the only two states who do not currently facilitate any form of legal gambling. However, this could be set to change.

Advocates will be hoping that this series of proposals out performs last year legalization attempts, whereby six bills were shot down after being passed over to the island’s vetting committee groups.

House Bill 1820 targets a ten-year licence to be granted for a members-only casino facility, based in Honolulu’s Waikiki beach. If approved, it would also oversee the establishment of a state gaming fund and compulsive gambler support program.

All other bills were pitched two days later, on 26^th January. These include House Bill 1973, which moves to appoint the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism as the island’s sports gambling regulatory board. It also illustrates a raft of guidelines and principles in which both operators and suppliers would need to adhere to, and announces a 10% tax levy on adjusted gross sports wagering revenue.

Bill 2040 relates to the launching of the Hawaii Lottery and Gaming Corporation, who would preside over all gaming conduct, and lead the awarding of special lottery funds to worthwhile community projects. House Bill 2485 complements the lottery legislation, establishing a commission to address issues cause by invasive species on the island.

The final proposal is House Bill 1962, which sponsors the Hawaiian Home Lands department to probe into the potential revenue opportunity if casino gaming was to be instituted in multiple venues across the island. Findings of this report would be due in 2023.

It remains to be seen whether Hawaii’s referral committees approve the bills, but this could be the moment that gambling finally arrives to the U.S’s most isolated state.