No Go for Bill Legalizing Online Sports Betting in Hawaii

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A proposal to legalize online sports gambling in Hawaii nearly made progress during this legislative session, but ultimately did not succeed.

Legislators failed to reach an agreement on the final draft of the bill before a crucial deadline on Friday, bringing its landmark journey to a close. Advocates express their disappointment, yet they also emphasize that it was not entirely without gain.

"We've made significant progress this year, advancing deeply into the conference, but it appears we haven’t reached an accord on specifics such as the tax rate, operator selection, facility management for sports betting operations, along with determining the issuance and associated fees for licenses," stated State Representative Daniel Holt.

“That’s how things stand, so we must put in extra effort next year. We should address the concerns raised by the remaining members and the general public, aiming to secure the tax revenues desperately needed for our state.”

Audience members continued to cheer for the advancements and the formation of an advisory panel comprising professionals from law enforcement, administration, travel, and business sectors, tasked with examining the potential legalization of gambling within the state.

There has never been a piece of legislation that advanced so far in the realm of gaming," stated Cliff Laboy, who lobbies for T. George Paris and the Hawaii Ironworkers Stabilization Fund. "Establish a task force, investigate thoroughly, conduct proper research, return, revisit the discussions, and decide on the path forward. However, Hawaii requires such measures. There isn’t another solution…unless lawmakers can present a strategy to the general populace about bringing fresh revenue into the state.

People against the proposal believed that the expenses and dangers were more significant than the advantages.

If introducing online gambling is like setting up a Las Vegas casino in each household, every bedroom, every dormitory, and every connected workspace within your state," stated Les Bernal, who leads the advocacy organization Stop Predatory Gambling nationally. "It marks the fifth state in our country this year to reject expanded access to online gambling due to witnessing its negative impact in other regions; it has proven to be a significant public policy failure.

"It would be wiser for us to complete the resolution and conduct the study before simply passing the bill," stated State Representative and Minority Leader Lauren Matsumoto. She further noted that both she and other legislators opposing the measure received numerous phone calls from constituents expressing their views.

Once you gain that initial advantage, it might result in establishing a stronger presence which could eventually bring casinos to Hawaii. Therefore, I believe we should proceed with caution as opening this door would make it irreversible.