New bill seeks to build casinos and legalize gambling in Hawaii
Tuesday 11 de February 2025 / 12:00
⏱ 2 min read
(Honolulu).- Hawaii is one of the two states in the United States, together with Utah, where all forms of gambling are illegal. A new bill aims to bring in casinos and legalize gambling.
“Considering that we kind of all joke in this community about how Las Vegas is the Ninth Island, this approach is to bring that Ninth Island back home, to bring the revenues back up, to bring the excitement of casino gaming to Hawaii,” stated Senator Glenn Wakai.
A new bill would grant 20-year licenses for casinos in the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District and Hawaii Convention Center. It would also establish the Hawaii Gaming Control Commission, impose a 15% tax on gross receipts and create a state gaming fund and compulsive gambler program.
“Today is the biggest gambling day of the entire year. People are doing parlay sheets. They’re betting galore today. Why can’t we as a state legalize that and take a tax off of all of that action taking place?” said Wakai.
Lawmakers who voted against the bill said it could be harmful to communities.
“All of the people who are going to spend their paycheck every couple of weeks with that hope of trying to win— it’s known that when you have access easily to lose your money, you’re probably gonna lose your money if you’re not disciplined,” said Senator Brenton Awa.
Those in favor of bringing casinos to Hawaii said it could lead to fewer illegal game rooms across the state.
“Gambling is happening in our community, kind of in the dark alleys and in some closed quarters. By having it out in the open in a casino, all of those poker parlors that are the scourge of many areas… those will have just no reason to exist,” Wakai said.
Wakai said most of the revenue would go to the Department of Education among other programs.
“For those who might fall into addictive behavior, we have to make sure that we have programs for them. So a small portion will go to that, but a bulk of it will go to education,” Wakai said.
Categoría:Legislation
Tags: Sin tags
País: United States
Región: North America
Event
PERU GAMING SHOW – PGS 2026
17 de June 2026
ProntoPaga Consolidates Its Position at Peru Gaming Show 2026
(Lima, SoloAzar Exclusive).- Juan Carlos Loza, Head of Sales Latam at ProntoPaga, spoke exclusively after the company's participation in Peru Gaming Show 2026, highlighting the agreements reached, the interest in their payment solutions, and the expansion plans that will drive their growth across Latin America.
Monday 03 Aug 2026 / 12:00
Enhancing Responsible Gaming Through Effective Training at PGS 2026
(Lima, SoloAzar Exclusive) – Training, prevention, and technology took center stage at the "Value of Responsible Gaming in Gambling Operations" conference during the 2026 Perú Gaming Show (PGS). Presented by Fernando Calderón Castro, President of the National Gaming Society (SONAJA), the session brought industry leaders together to tackle current challenges and explore strategies for safer, more transparent, and sustainable operations.
Wednesday 22 Jul 2026 / 12:00
LSports at the Peru Gaming Show: Building Presence, Opening Doors
(Lima, SoloAzar Exclusive).- The Peru Gaming Show was never just about the booth. For LSports, it was about showing up in a market where showing up still matters — and leaving with more than a contact list. Federico Brancato, Sales Manager for the LATAM Region, came to Lima with a clear sense of what operators in this part of Latin America need most right now. What he found confirmed it.
Friday 17 Jul 2026 / 12:00
SUSCRIBIRSE
Para suscribirse a nuestro newsletter, complete sus datos
Reciba todo el contenido más reciente en su correo electrónico varias veces al mes.
