Within a week, New Jersey became the third state to legalize online gambling, authorizing the issue of both online poker and online casino licenses to casinos in Atlantic City. In April 2013, the first legal online gambling site in the United States went live in Nevada. A statewide operation. Law enforcement agencies in Hawaii are taking a stance and initiating a crackdown on illegal gambling operations. A massive effort is being made to tackle unsanctioned game rooms to stop criminal activity in the state. The gambling laws in Hawaii are clear and ban all forms of gambling including those of online. There are no online casinos, poker, sports betting, bingo or daily fantasy sport. Not only are all forms of online gambling is illegal, unlike other US States, it is also enforced by the law enforcement agencies.

• Is Online Gambling Illegal In Hawaii Right Now
• Is Online Gambling Legal In Hawaii
• Is Online Gambling Illegal In Hawaii State
• Is Online Gambling Illegal In Hawaii Five-o
• Is Online Gambling Illegal In Hawaii 5-0

Is Online Gambling Illegal In Hawaii Right Now

There are only two states out of the 50 in America with no legalized gambling: Utah and Hawaii. The former has a deeply religious population and happily maintains its exception from the gambling culture of the United States. Hawaii, however, has abstained from joining the industry because of the precarious status of an island nation that depends on tourists for its sustainability.

But even Hawaii, with its pristine beaches and unique culture, has taken to considering gambling in the past several years in order to handle budget deficits and ever-increasing costs of living. While land-based casino establishments remain largely off the table in any discussion, some members of the legislature have given some consideration to online gambling.

However, no concrete steps have been taken to allow gambling in Hawaii in any form. And further, in late 2017, it seems that law enforcement is cracking down especially hard on underground gambling.

Latest Crackdowns

As gambling becomes more pervasive in various aspects of society on a global basis, Hawaii is not isolated from the trend. That makes the island state even more focused on its image as a tourist destination and eager to keep gambling from tainting its shores.

Honolulu authorities claim there are as many as 100 illegal gambling establishments on Oahu, at present, and the police have been instructed to increase enforcement tactics to break up those games. Raids have taken place at numerous locations within the past month, with more scheduled in the coming weeks. The largest of late was in August with 20 raids handled in one night.

Major Larry Lawson of the Honolulu Police Department’s criminal investigation division told a local reporter, “Game rooms affect people of all ages and social economic levels. We sometimes hear people say that gambling is a harmless form of entertainment; however, we know that game rooms are often the hubs of illegal activity such as drug dealing, robberies, assaults, and homicides that have been associated with game rooms.”

More than 35 people have been arrested thus far in recent weeks on a variety of charges. Landlords allowing gambling in their buildings and people who work at the gambling dens could face felony charges, while people caught as customers in the raids face misdemeanor charges.

Brief Flings with Gambling

Every few years, some legislators get together to drum up support for casinos in Hawaii. They see the casino industry as a way to earn more revenue for the state as well as bringing more people to the islands, especially those from Asia-Pacific countries who could choose Hawaii over Macau or Las Vegas. Many Hawaiians also make numerous trips to Las Vegas each year, so much so that an entire hotel (The California) and many stores in the Downtown LV area cater specifically to them with special food offerings and other Hawaiian specialties.

The overwhelming majority of legislators and Hawaiians tend to oppose the idea altogether, though, so bills never have much momentum or chance of passage.

Efforts to Legalize Online Gambling Explained

There has been talk of legalized online gambling in Hawaii as recently as this year. It had little chance of moving through the legislature, however, and it died early in the year.

Hawaiian State Senator Will Espero was the one to introduce SB.677 in January 2017, which was worded to legalize and regulate online gambling. A Hawaii Internet Lottery and Gaming Corporation would be established to oversee the industry and open the possibility of launching a lottery for Hawaiians. Espero’s intention with the bill was to collect revenue for the state’s coffers as well as to protect customers who are currently gambling on unlicensed, black-market sites.

Text of the iGaming bill dropped last Friday in Hawaii can be found here. https://t.co/JngQLOPv7R

— PokerPlayersAlliance (@ppapoker) January 23, 2017

Unsurprisingly, the bill showed no signs of life after its introduction, most likely due to the history of anti-gambling sentiment among legislators and islanders alike.

While online gambling and lotteries are more likely to be considered by the Hawaiian legislature than land-based casinos, none are in the cards in the short term. Hawaiians are acutely aware of the state’s image, history, culture, and need to maintain all of those things on a long-term basis. In their view, to allow gambling to infiltrate the daily lives of its people would jeopardize Hawaii’s integrity.

Related Articles

Is Online Gambling Legal in the State Of Hawaii?

Of all the States, only Hawaii and Utah have such comprehensive anti-gambling legislation. In the Island State, only social poker games where nobody makes a profit (not even from selling beverages) are allowed. That is it, no casinos, no charity gambling, no lottery and no sports. This article explains the Hawaii gambling laws (or rather anti-gambling laws) in detail.

First up below, a quick-fire overview of the history of gambling in this State can be found. This consists of heavyweight legislation and many busts. Next a game-by-game guide, which covers the specifics of what you can’t do. After that a legislative timeline can be found, including the key passages from the statute books. Finally, I have summarized the key points – and then speculated on how gambling in Hawaii might look in the future.

Chumba Casino Hawaii – Sweepstakes Casino Option

Chumba Casino is available in Hawaii and gives players the chance to play online casino games for real cash prizes.

Hawaii Gambling Laws – A Brief History

This State was formed in 1959 – and gambling has been against the law ever since. In pre-State colony days, there was a horse-racing scene, and I am sure many bets were laid on the black market on those races. These declined and stopped in the 1940’s and efforts to legislate have met with no success since.

Periodically, headlines scream of big busts of just about every kind of gambling you can think of. These include a ‘Lottery Queen’, a major indicted in connection gambling extortion, a sports-betting ring getting busted and the seizure of gambling machines. If nothing else this shows that there is still a significant appetite among Hawaiians for gambling, even if their government shows no signs of budging on the legal perspective.

Most recently, there have been bills introduced in 2010 and 2012 requesting that a study be done into setting up a casino and the regulation of online poker respectively. These caused a stir in the media – but did not get far through the legislative process before being killed off.

Hawaii Gambling Laws – An Overview of Which Gambling Games Are Legal

Casino Games: No, like most forms of gambling, this is strictly against the law in Hawaii – the closest legal US casino by distance would be in the State of California.

Online Casinos: No, online gambling is covered by the broad definition of what constitutes a gambling game in this State. Basically any game with a chance element, and some risk / reward, even if skill can materially affect the outcome.

Live Poker: Yes, you can play poker socially in Hawaii. There are strict rules surrounding social poker games. No profit can be taken by any house or individual organizer. This extends to profiting by selling food or beverages, which rules out pub leagues which are popular even in conservative States like Utah where poker is also social-only.

Online Poker: No, there have been some recent bills which would regulate online poker games – though these have not made it far through the legislative process before being killed off.

Is Online Gambling Legal In Hawaii

Sports Betting: No, there are no racetracks or pari-mutuel betting machines. Hawaii has a rich history of horse racing, starting in the 1800’s and continuing until the end of the 1940’s when this died out.

Lottery Betting: No, this is one of the few states which does not have a lottery nor participate in any inter-State lottery programs.

Bingo Games: No, there are not even any provisions for charitable raffle or bingo gambling in Hawaii.

Hawaii Gambling Laws – Timeline of Key Statutes

The main gambling provisions have remained largely unchanged since the State joined the US in 1959. Unlike in other States, any amendments have strengthened the anti-gambling rules – rather than allowed certain types of gambling to occur. Like many legal definitions, the ones Hawaii uses is broad enough to make sure that fans of any particular game can’t say that they are not covered. Here are the key pieces:

First their broad definition of gambling:

[su_quote cite=”Chapter 712-1220″ url=”http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/vol14_ch0701-0853/hrs0712/hrs_0712-1220.htm”]A person engages in gambling if he stakes or risks something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event not under his control or influence, upon an agreement or understanding that he or someone else will receive something of value in the event of a certain outcome.[/su_quote]

Then, just in case you were about to play the ‘skill game’ card, their definition of a Game of Chance puts that one to bed:

[su_quote]”Contest of chance” means any contest, game, gaming scheme, or gaming device in which the outcome depends in a material degree upon an element of chance, notwithstanding that skill of the contestants may also be a factor therein.[/su_quote]

There is no getting around it, even the definition of a gambling device (also illegal) is broad enough to cover just about anything.

Is Online Gambling Illegal In Hawaii State

There have been some recent attempts at legislation for gambling, though to date these have been killed off very early in the legislative process and have not gotten to committee – let alone had the opportunity to be put to the popular vote. Here are some examples:

1959: A bill is introduced to bring back Horse Racing via a track on the island of Maui, this did not pass the house of representatives.

2010: Separate bills to investigate the setup of a committee to oversee an investigation into the viability of casino gambling and a proposal to set up a State lottery. Neither bill made it as far as the floor.

2012: A bill (number 2242) requesting the setup of another committee, this time to look into the regulation of online poker is submitted – again, it is killed off before there is a chance of a serious debate.

Talk of yet more bills periodically gets the poker press excited. Experienced commentators suggest otherwise, that the opposition to gambling is strong enough in the Island State to ensure keep the status-quo for the foreseeable future.

Hawaii Gambling Laws – Summary and a Look into The Future

Is Online Gambling Illegal In Hawaii Five-o

Along with Utah, this is the strictest anti-gambling State of all, with only social poker games allowed for residents. One thing to bear in mind is that individual participants in gambling games are rarely affected by the regular busts and crack-downs – which are aimed at the organizers and profiteers. Residents wishing to gamble at offshore operators may be breaking the law in the strict sense, though they are doing so with minimal risk of being personally prosecuted. Please take legal advice before making your own decision on whether to play online poker at offshore sites from Hawaii.

The most likely future scenario for Hawaii is no change. If there is an (unlikely) drop off in tourism income then change might be possible – at the moment this State appears very happy with the current no-gambling situation.

Useful Resources:

State Laws

Wiki History (mentions horse racing)

Is Online Gambling Illegal In Hawaii 5-0

State legislature