A pair of proposed bills that would regulate sports betting and other gambling in the state have drawn mixed reactions from anti-gambling advocates.
The State House of Representatives has continued to support a pair of bills that would close legal loopholes that have allowed sports betting and other forms of gambling form operating in the state outside of gambling regulations.
The more complex of the two measures is House Bill 2570, which would add a new chapter to the state’s gambling statutes specifically targeting sports wagering.
Under the new chapter, sports betting would only be legal in Hawai‘i if done through licensed sports betting operators. Such licenses would require a $500,000 fee and would need to be renewed every five years, which would require an additional $500,000 renewal fee.
