Sports betting in Hawaii is back for consideration 2026 with a fresh bill that would legalize mobile betting in one of the two remaining states without any gambling.
SB 3303 by Sen. Dru Kanuha would authorize sports wagering exclusively through licensed mobile applications and digital platforms, banning physical betting locations and kiosks statewide. The bill is currently awaiting its first hearing committee hearing.
Sports betting in Hawaii was nearly approved last year after both the Senate and House passed a betting bill, albeit with different tax rates, licensing fees and differing opinions on how the industry would operate. The bill was sent to a conference committee but no agreement could be met by the deadline despite Gov. Josh Green saying he would not veto a betting bill that reached his desk.
“It is what it is, and we just got to work harder next year, try to answer the questions that the rest of the members and the public has and see if we can capture this tax revenue that we much need for our state,” HB 1308‘s sponsor, Rep. Daniel Holt, told Hawaii News Now last year.
Hawaii sports betting bill details
The state would be required to issue a minimum of six sports wagering operator licenses, each carrying a $500,000 initial fee and a five year term. The bill does not list a maximum number of operators.
Licensed operators would be subject to a 15% tax on adjusted gross sports wagering receipts.
Sports betting would start on a universal start date that would be no later than 180 days after the bill takes effect on July 1. That would put the required launch by Dec. 28.
The measure prohibits betting on youth sports and collegiate events involving Hawaii-based teams, while mandating geolocation controls, identity verification, anti money laundering safeguards and a statewide voluntary exclusion program.
Hawaii wants to limit predictions
Also up for debate this year is a bill that would limit the types of event contracts Hawaiians could take part in trading.
HB 2198 would ban trading securities that touch on multiple topics, with sports coming first in the list.
Events that include the outcome of elections, catastrophes or events involving people, like death, would also be banned.
