Hawaii won’t legalise online sports betting this year
Legislators were unable to reach an agreement on the differences between House and Senate versions of the bill.
US.- Efforts to legalise sports betting in Hawaii have stalled after the joint House and Senate conference committee failed to reach an agreement on a unified version of HB 1308. It means the state won’t see legal wagering until at least 2026.
Hawaii law requires both House and Senate to pass identical versions of the bill before it can pass into law. The Hawaii House of Representatives refused to accept Senate amendments to HB 1308, sending the proposed legislation to a conference committee to resolve differences. The failure to reconcile the versions means there will be no final vote in the two chambers before the legislature adjourns on May 2.
Lawmakers have indicated they will try to work on the bill again in 2026. Governor Josh Green had indicated he would have signed the bill if it passed both chambers.
HB 1308 passed the House Representatives on a 35-15 vote in March and was approved by the Senate Ways and Means Committee, but with changes. It would have allowed a minimum of four sports betting platforms. Fantasy sports would also be legalised. The Senate version included a 10 per cent tax rate on gross gaming revenue and a $250,000 licence fee that were not in the House bill. Opponents of the bill had looked to increase both rates.
An amendment would see the Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement regulate the market. Initially, the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs would have been the regulator, but director Nadine Ando said she did not feel her department was best suited for the job. The enforcement of the general excise tax on sports betting would be administered by the Hawaii Department of Taxation.
Hawaii is one of the few US states with no form of legal gambling. In February, the Hawaii State Legislature indefinitely deferred Senate Bill 893, which aimed to legalise casino gambling in the state. The decision followed strong opposition from various state agencies.
