Hawaii considering legalization of casinos, sports betting

Legal gambling may not solely be restricted to the continental United States as officials in Hawaii continue to make progress on a study regarding the legalization of sports betting and other gambling in the Aloha State. Created by lawmakers via a 2025 resolution, the Tourism and Gaming Working Group met once more this year as they work toward potentially recommending gambling policy in Hawaii – which could lead to regulated sports betting as well as the state's first casino.

The Tourism and Gaming Group were tasked with putting together expert findings on the potential future of legal gambling before the 2027 legislative session begins. Recently, the group listened to testimonies on what economic benefits could stem from legalization.

On a macro level, Tres York – vice president of government relations at the American Gaming Association – told a collection of two dozen lawmakers and stakeholders that legal gambling supports nearly 2 million jobs around the U.S. The industry has also generated some $125 billion in revenue while contributing over $50 million in state taxes, which have been used to help fund education and local infrastructure as well as public health and safety.

Meanwhile, a senator in Hawaii, which doesn't have land-based or real money online casino operators, lotteries, or sports betting, shared a relatively negative stance on gambling stemming from possible issues such as increases in gambling addiction and crime. 

That said, Sen. Lynn DeCoite conceded that legalizing gambling in the Aloha State could assist in disaster relief funding.

Composed of 24 lawmakers, law enforcement officials and representatives of the gambling industry, the Tourism and Gaming Working Group is charged with determining not only if Hawaii should welcome legal sports betting but also if a casino should be approved.

That land-based operation would be located within the nearly 100-acre New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District on Oahu, which is expected to open in 2029. Interestingly, this comes at a time when House Bill 1527 was introduced to ban gambling in the new Aloha Stadium district.

The group is not completely alone with casino-related legalization. House Bill 1945 was introduced and referred to, though deferred by, the Economic Development Committee, legislation that would allow gambling on large cruise ships while traveling in or docked in Hawaiian waters.

Certainly, Hawaii is still a ways away from discussing the legalization of iGaming and welcoming in the country's best mobile casinos. However, authorizing gambling in the state, which has not existed in the modern era since 1973, would no doubt be a step towards offering online casino bonus codes and apps one day.

Until then, at least in the near term, it remains only the Maine online casino industry that can be expected to roll out soon, with a projected launch coming later in 2026.

Grant Lucas