Hawaii Misses Golden Chance to Legalize Sports Betting This Year
Hawaii’s promising push to legalize sports betting in one of the only two states without legal gambling has hit a dead end. The conference committee couldn’t agree on a final version of the bill, and it won’t make it to a vote.
HB 1308 Dies in Conference Committee
After Nebraska’s LR 20CA bill flopped, Hawaii was the last hope for expanding legal sports betting in the U.S. in 2025. That hope fizzled out on Friday when it became clear the bill wouldn’t reach a vote in either chamber.
The Hawaii House and Senate passed different versions of HB 1308, with conflicting license fees for operators. A conference committee was formed to hammer out a unified bill, but they couldn’t find common ground. That made it impossible to get the bill to Gov. Green’s desk before the May 2 deadline.
It’s especially frustrating because Gov. Green seemed open to legalizing sports betting and likely wouldn’t have blocked the bill. The sticking point was the license fees. The Senate’s version set fees at $250,000 with a 10% tax rate, but the House wouldn’t budge on that proposal.
Hawaii Stays Gambling-Free, But Eyes Next Year
In a last-ditch effort, even operators voiced support for higher fees, hoping it would boost the bill’s chances. For now, though, Hawaii, along with Utah, remains one of the only states with zero legal gambling.
The push for sports betting will definitely return in the next legislative session, as the bill’s sponsors have already promised.
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