Gambling in Hawaii
Hawaii is the only state, along with Utah, that still has not made gambling legal. Therefore, you should never book a trip to play at Hawaii casinos. Surfing, hiking, snorkeling, sipping cocktails while gazing at the sun - all that can be done in the Aloha State. But gambling? You better book a trip to Nevada!
According to code section 712-1220 et seq. of law that regulates gaming and betting activities, gambling is “staking or risking something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or uncontrollable future contingent event in order to receive something of value.” Gaming, in almost all its forms, is considered illegal.
This means no roulette, blackjack, poker, or even slot machines, at least not when it comes to Hawaii gambling. In fact, the Law also prohibits “possession of gambling records, promoting gambling and bookkeeping.” The State doesn’t permit betting on dog or horse races, fantasy sports, esports, or any form of sports betting Hawaii options. Gambling cruise ships are not even allowed to enter Hawaiian waters!
Social Casinos in Hawaii
Still, even in such a restrictive environment, one type of gaming remains legal. Players in Hawaii can enjoy social gaming, but under one condition - the action has to take place on private property. So, you can organize a bingo night for your grandma and her best friends and declare it a Hawaii casino just for fun. Still, unfortunately, you can’t run a legal bingo club or any other type of profitable gambling business.
Humphrey C. in his Gambling Laws: Hawaii statues mentions a couple of reasons why social gambling is still around in this part of the US. First, all players compete on equal terms, and none of the persons involved benefit from it except for their own personal gambling gains. This implies that if you organize a poker tournament for you and your pals, you can’t take any rake. Furthermore, none of the entities involved may make a profit from the event in any other way, including selling food or drinks, and everyone involved must be of legal age.
In the end, you can play casino games, but you can’t run a sportsbook, even if you just bet on Super Bowl with your best buddies.
Local newspapers often report illegal gaming activities, including unlawful casinos in Hawaii with slot machines, poker tables, and roulette wheels. Robin-Marie Shepherd, in her paper named Piliwaiwai: Problem Gambling in Hawai‘i, mentions cases of illegal lottery sales and racketeering incidents that directly result from problem gambling. The researcher also noted the problem gambling hotline reported an increase in calls around the Super Bowl, proving sports betting still takes place, despite being illegal.
Top Casinos in Hawaii
Is online gambling legal in Hawaii? Unfortunately, it is not. Can you play at a traditional casino house, like you would in Nevada or New Jersey? Unfortunately, there is no such option, at least for now.
To the annoyance of many, Hawaii is also far away from the mainland, meaning that taking a weekend trip to Vegas is a treat only a few can afford. Even so, Shepherd’s paper claims that approximately 700,000 trips are made annually from Hawaii to the City of Sins.
Online Gambling in Hawaii
The online gambling Hawaii dream is still very much a dream, and one that probably won’t become a reality any time soon. The timeline above proves that ever since the very early days of online gambling, Hawaiian politicians have tried to make online casino Hawaii experiences happen, but to no avail.
In 2022, the Aloha State saw no less than 5 bills proposing gambling regulation, yet only a couple of them take online gambling and sport betting into account. House Bill 1973 proposes an unlimited number of online sports betting operators who could run sports sites and betting apps. The proposed tax rate is 10%, and licenses would cost $50,000 and last 3 years. The bill doesn’t acknowledge the need for having a real money online casino Hawaii option, though.
House Bill 1815, authored by Mizuno, suggests regulating online sports betting. The activity should be on websites and not in brick-and-mortar venues, and the companies would be taxed 55% on gross.
House Bill 2004 encourages the legalization of daily fantasy sports. Its leading advocate, Rep. Angus McKelvey, believes it takes skill to make the right decision and that it is, essentially, a skill-based type of gaming that has nothing to do with chance.
Online Poker
Online poker is a fun pastime, but no legal operators exist in the Hawaiian market. The biggest companies, such as PartyPoker and WSOP, don’t accept players from the state. Unfortunately, poker fans will have to remain patient and wait until it gets legalized. No currently proposed bills tackle the legalization of online poker.
Online Betting
Legal sports betting Hawaii style is not something you can enjoy right now. If we are to trust Mizuno’s word, the legislation on it won’t be passed before 2023. Despite repeated efforts and a high rate of illegal sports betting activities that expose players to increased risk, there is no way to get a Hawaiian gambling license.
Top Gambling Cities in Hawaii
Is there some sort of casino city in Hawaii where you can play games in a dedicated resort? Not for now. As a state that doesn’t allow gambling in almost any form, Hawaii doesn’t have its own gambling playground. However, it is worth noting there have been some initiatives to open casino resorts, such as those in Mississippi.
Kapolei, Oahu
DHHL and HHC are pushing hard to pass the establishment of a special resort located in Kapolei, Oahu. Hawaiian Home Lands is open to investing US$5m to finance the Hawaii regulatory commission that would find a suitable licensee. The chosen company would have to develop, construct, and operate a casino and resort site. That would fund the housing of Native tribes, and the resort would make Kapolei the first gambling city in Hawaii.
However, passing the directive has been a long game of ping pong, going back and forth. After the initial efforts were postponed due to the COVID pandemic, the resort idea is still to be approved.
Tribal Gaming in Hawaii
Hawaii's lawmakers recognize as Indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. In the 2010 U.S. Census, 527,000 people identified as Native, yet none of the groups operate any casinos. It is a common practice in the United States for tribes to take advantage of their status and operate gambling sites. The profits are typically used to improve the community's living conditions and public services.
Although the announced casino resort in Kapolei won’t be operated by local tribes, it will benefit them. Namely, one of the main purposes of the resort is to fix the ever-growing housing problem, especially among the Natives.
Due to limited space, the prices of rent and real estate are going up, up and away. The members of Native tribes often must rely on public housing projects that have proved to be of limited success. The resort gaming initiative hopes casinos will be a part of the solution.