Hawaii may be the next US state for legal online sports betting
Hawaii is looking to become the next US state to bring on legal online sports betting after the state’s House Committee on Economic Development & Technology advanced House Bill 2570. Here’s what it means for the state’s residents, and what to expect next.
HB 2570, which won with a divided 5-2 vote, wants to introduce a regulated online sports betting market in Hawaii, but there remains some opposition ahead before legal online sports betting is able to proliferate the state.
Debate over legal online sports betting progresses in Hawaii
The state of Hawaii has been pushing against gambling in any form since it became a US state in 1959, making it one of the last two states to prohibit any and all forms of gambling. Some on the collection of islands have continued to argue that gambling goes against the state’s values, but Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Director Kali Watson made clear in December 2025 that Hawaiians should take another, closer look at the idea.
“I think that’s something we need to take a serious look at,” Watson said, going on to extol the potential financial benefits of bringing in additional money to the state’s governance through sports betting taxes.
House Bill 2570, introduced by State Representative Daniel Holt, would create a legal framework for online betting sites to become legal in Hawaii through six platforms. These platforms would be required to pay a licensing fee of $500,000 for both the initial application and the following annual renewals. The bill also proposes a 15% tax on sports betting revenues, which would benefit the state and include funding for gambling prevention programs.
Despite the obvious financial benefits and the existing prevalence of unregulated gambling markets, this still hasn’t resonated with some on the island who are opposed to gambling. Honolulu-based prosecutor Steve Alm stated that “sports betting is already tarnishing sports.” Stop Predatory Gambling’s Les Bernal questioned the actions of sportsbook operators in the past, and claimed that such an industry doesn’t fit with the state of Hawaii’s “Aloha spirit.”
Bill supporters argued that gambling is already happening illegally in the state, and that HB 2570 would actually offer legitimate consumer protections and safety regulations around something that’s already happening regardless of any debate around the subject. It would also increase state revenues through taxes, since fewer people would be driven to gamble via unregulated offshore platforms.
The bill will likely need a lot of revisions before it’s further approved, but this progression is still a significant milestone in the work to make online sports betting legal in the state of Hawaii.
Hawaii and Utah remain the only two states in America that don’t allow for any form of gambling. Online gambling and sports betting are becoming more and commonplace over the last few years, creating added pressure for states who continue to hold off. Nebraska and Mississippi are among those looking to implement new sports betting opportunities for local residents.
Other states, such as New York, want to further restrict the practice after having already legalized it. It’s a tricky balancing act for many US states as they grapple with how best to approach one of the world’s fastest-growing and most lucrative industries.
[Feature Image Credit: Hawaii State Judiciary]
Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.
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