Sports Betting Bill Clears State House and Senate in Hawaii; Prospects for Approval Still Long
In the recent 2025 legislative session, **sports betting in Hawaii remains illegal**, as the bill aimed at legalizing and regulating the practice, SB1569, failed to pass. The bill, which was the Senate counterpart to House Bill 1308 (HB1308), stalled after committee review, largely due to disagreements over tax rates and licensing fees.
HB1308, the first piece of gaming legislation to clear a chamber of the Hawaii Legislature in decades, passed the state House on March 5, 2025, with a vote of 35-15. However, its Senate counterpart, SB1569, cleared the Senate Economic Development and Technology Committee in February but was later deferred by both the Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means committees.
The failure of SB1569 to pass and the lack of recent movement toward final approval suggest that the chances of the bill passing before the session ends are very low or nil. This is not the first time such a bill has failed in Hawaii. Prior related bills from 2022 to 2024 also did not reach final approval.
There were several concerns raised by lawmakers who opposed HB1308. Nadine Ando, director of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, opposed the bill due to insufficient funding for regulation. Rep. Kim Coco Iwamoto (D-Honolulu) argued that the bill primarily benefits operators, while Rep. David Alcos (R-Ewa) voiced concerns about potential negative consequences, such as sex trafficking and theft. Some lawmakers also expressed concerns about gambling addictions, which could lead to financial problems, broken marriages, and other societal costs.
Despite the failed attempts to legalize sports betting, Hawaii remains one of the most restrictive states regarding gaming. It is currently the only state, along with Utah, that does not allow any forms of legal gaming, including sports betting, lottery games, parimutuel wagering, fantasy sports, or charitable games.
Rep. Kim Coco Iwamoto (D-Honolulu) even suggested that illegal, underground gambling rings might be more beneficial. However, it's important to note that such activities are not regulated and can lead to a host of other issues.
On a positive note, fiscal projections estimate that the state could reap as much as $20 million a year by allowing online sports betting. As the 2025 legislative session runs through May 2, there are no reports of new legislative efforts advancing sports betting legalization beyond these stalled bills for the 2025 session.
[1] Source: Hawaii News Now, [Sports betting remains illegal in Hawaii](https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2025/07/01/sports-betting-remains-illegal-hawaii-sb1569-fails-pass-2025-legislative-session/)
[2] Source: Honolulu Star-Advertiser, [Hawaii lawmakers consider sports betting, but with caution](https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/03/06/breaking-news/hawaii-lawmakers-consider-sports-betting-but-with-caution/)
- The 2025 legislative session saw the failure of SB1569, a bill aimed at legalizing and regulating sports betting in Honolulu, Hawaii, due to disagreements over tax rates and licensing fees.
- HB1308, the first piece of gaming legislation to clear a chamber of the Hawaii Legislature in decades, passed the state House on March 5, 2025, but its Senate counterpart, SB1569, failed to pass, suggesting a low probability of sports betting legalization before the session ends.
- Representative Kim Coco Iwamoto (D-Hawaii) suggested that illegal, underground gambling rings might be more beneficial, but it's important to note that such activities are not regulated and can lead to numerous issues.
- Despite the failed attempts to legalize sports betting, Hawaii remains one of the most restrictive states regarding gaming, not allowing any forms of legal gaming, including sports betting.
- Fiscal projections estimate that the state could reap as much as $20 million a year by allowing online sports betting, but as of May 2, 2025, there are no reports of new legislative efforts advancing sports betting legalization beyond the stalled bills for the 2025 session.
