The House on Tuesday took the unprecedented step of passing a controversial measure to legalize online sports betting.
Gambling on sports in Hawaiʻi is legal, but there is no legal avenue for placing bets with a sportsbook or online. To date, 38 states have legalized some form of online sports betting, which often involves placing bets on apps through a smartphone.
The 35-to-15 vote on House Bill 1308 marked the furthest that a gambling proposal has made it in the Legislature in at least the last decade.
The bill would legalize online sports betting apps in the state and allow for up to four state-licensed operators.
