Hawaii’s Sports Betting Bill Clears Key Hurdle
Hawaii’s sports betting bill, HB 1308, took a key step forward, clearing the Senate Ways and Means Committee with an 11-2 vote. Four senators backed it with hesitation.
Senate Panel Advances HB 1308
Already a hit in the House with a strong majority and nodded through by the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee in March, the bill’s now teed up for a full Senate showdown. It’s a big swing for a state where gambling’s been off-limits forever.
The bill lays out a tight plan: legal online sports betting with at least four licenses, a 10% tax on gross revenue, and a $250,000 fee for a five-year license, renewals match that price.
A late tweak shifted oversight from the Department of Commerce to the Department of Law Enforcement, with taxes funneled through the Department of Taxation. If it sticks, the law kicks in July 1, 2025, with betting live by January 1, 2026.
Mixed Signals
Backers see gold $20 million yearly in taxes for education and public services. Heavy hitters like DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Fanatics from the Sports Betting Alliance, plus unions and some Native Hawaiian leaders, are all in, pushing for a slice of the action.
But not everyone’s sold. The Attorney General, Commerce Department, Boyd Gaming, and anti-gambling groups are raising flags about social fallout and regulatory strain.
That 11-2 split telling, those “with reservations” votes show the Senate’s not fully onboard. Hawaii’s clean slate: no casinos, no lotteries, makes this a leap.
The next stop is the full Senate, with a May 1 deadline looming, per state timelines. If it passes, Hawaii joins the 39-state betting club in a U.S. market eyed at $83 billion by 2029.
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