hawaii – FairOdds Network

April 16, 2025

Tax rate, fees, regulator at issue as Hawaii sports betting bill goes to conference

A conference committee has about two weeks to come to an agreement.

Hawaii’s digital sports betting bill has hit a snag. HB 1308, which has made a surprising march through the house and senate, is headed to conference committee after the house rejected an amended version passed by the senate on Friday.

After moving through senate committees with no tax rate or application fee, both were added on the senate floor. In addition, the regulator was changed in a senate committee and the department of law is now named.

HB 1308 would allow for statewide digital sports betting with a minimum of four platforms. There would be no retail locations.

The bill initially had a 10% tax rate and a $250,000 application fee, but those were stripped in the house finance committee, where Representative Sue L Keohokapu-Lee Loy voiced concern that the application fee was too low.

It “appears rather low for an industry that makes billions of dollars”, she said. “I would love to see that licence fee go up ..

April 9, 2025

Hawaii senate sends sports betting bill back to house for potential passage

Bill must still clear house and get Governor Josh Green’s signature to become law.

Hawaii is poised to become the first US state in 2025 to legalise digital sports betting after its senate approved an amended version of HB 1308, 15-10 on Tuesday (8 April). Of the 15 yes votes, four were “with reservations”.

HB 1308 was transmitted to and received by the house on Tuesday. Should the house approve the bill, it will be sent to Governor Josh Green for approval. Green, who has been pushing for funding for a new Aloha Stadium District, has not been clear about whether he will sign the bill.

HB 1308’s march through the state legislature has been confounding. Multiple state agencies, a native Hawaiian group and others repeatedly spoke in opposition. Lobbyists from BetMGM and DraftKings as well as a local ironworkers’ union testified in favour. And at every step, lawmakers voiced concern and many voted with reservations.

Go-live date not mandated

The bill becomes effective on 1 July but do..

April 4, 2025

Hawaii sports betting bill reaches senate floor

Its tax rate is set at 10% of AGR with percentages earmarked for problem gambling and education.

It was another step forward for proponents of legalised mobile sports betting in Hawaii on Wednesday (2 April) after the senate ways and means committee approved HB 1308, moving it to the full senate floor.

The bill passed by an 11-2 vote, although four state senators voted “aye with reservations”. Ways and means was the third and final senate committee needed to vote the bill forward after the economic development and tourism and the commerce and consumer protection committees did likewise.

The bill reached the senate floor despite ongoing opposition from notable groups throughout the state. Among them was the state attorney general’s office, which submitted written testimony citing problem gambling concerns as well as changes to fantasy sports that will lead to “unregulated and unlicensed gambling”.

Filling in the numerical blanks

HB 1308 passed through the lower chamber of state gov..

March 24, 2025

Campaign contributions are part of the picture as Hawaii debates gambling proposals

Despite heavy opposition from government agencies and native Hawaiian groups, a Hawaii digital betting bill continues to move.

Like gambling expansion bills in other states, HB 1308 in Hawaii has faced opposition from the start. The bill would allow four digital sports betting platforms and no retail locations.

But as the bill has moved through the house and progressed in the senate, what is unique is that much of the opposition has come from government agencies ranging from the attorney general and local police to the departments of taxation and finance. In addition, the department of commerce and consumer protection – which was initially named in the bill as the regulator – opposes the bill.

Support from the industry, meanwhile, has been tangible as well as vocal. Donations made to lawmakers reviewed by iGB reveal that some lawmakers who received donations from the Sports Betting Alliance (SBA) – which prior to 2024 had not made a donation to any Hawaii lawmaker – sponsored gambli..

February 25, 2025

Hawaii digital sports betting bill heads to house floor

Hawaii's house finance committee moved a legal online sports betting bill forward on Monday (24 February). A companion bill is set for a hearing on Wednesday.

An amended version of HB 1308 received committee approval, but at least six members voted “with reservations”. Finance was the third and final Hawaii house committee to pass the bill, which now moves to the house floor. A companion bill, SB 1569, is set to be heard in the senate ways and means committee on Wednesday.

Just ahead of Monday’s vote, chairman Kyle Yamashita offered amendments to make passage more palatable. He suggested removing the tax rate – originally set for 10% – and the licensing fee pending further review. There was much discussion during the hearing about how many tax dollars the state stands to gain.

In addition, representative Sue L Keohokapu-Lee Loy said the $250,000 (£197,761/€238,712) licence fee “appears rather low for an industry that makes billions of dollars. I would love to see that licenc..

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