Hawaii sports betting bill proposes 55% tax rate
House Bill 1815 would make Hawaii the highest-taxed state in the US for sports betting
US.- A Hawaii legislator has introduced a bill that seeks to legalise sports betting in the state. House Bill 1815 proposes a tax rate of 55 per cent on sportsbooks, the highest in the country ahead of New York and New Hampshire’s 51 per cent rate.
The bill presented by Democrat representative John Mizuno proposes the creation of a seven-member board to oversee the implementation of sports wagering in the state and select sportsbook operators.
HB1815 reads: “Sports wagering tax: There shall be levied, assessed, and collected a tax of fifty-five percent on all winnings paid out to any person by a sports wagering provider. The tax revenues shall be deposited into the sports wagering special fund.”
Mizuno said: “Eventually with technology, we’re going to see sports betting throughout the entire US.”
He added: “Keep in mind we’re a little different. Utah and Hawaii are the only two states that don’t allow gambling. This is a big push, but let’s be realistic: Who doesn’t bet on the Super Bowl? Who doesn’t bet on the college championship game? If it’s going to happen, and we know it’s going to happen, let’s tax it and use those taxes to help with homelessness, to help reduce crime. But yes, the difficulty is we’re a little conservative when it comes to gaming.”
State representative Chris Todd has also reintroduced his own sports betting bill, HB 736, which he initially proposed in 2021. Todd’s bill proposes an online sports betting pilot programme, which if approved, would run through June 30, 2025.
The pilot programme would allow the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism to issue up to five online sports betting licences. The proposed fee is $30m per licence.
See also: Hawaii residents still oppose casinos
