Gambling Illegal In Hawaii
- Gambling Illegal In Hawaii
- Is Gambling Illegal In Hawaii
- Gambling Laws In Hawaii
- Gambling Legal In Hawaii
Hawaii is one of the two states in the US (the other being Utah) that prohibits all forms of gambling — not even bingo for charitable purposes is allowed. The state’s law defines gambling as “betting something of value on a contest of chance.” In Hawaii, engaging in gambling is considered a misdemeanor offense. Without any land-based establishments, many Hawaiian residents chose to break the law by playing in underground gambling enterprises or on offshore sites, but we would strongly advise against it.
This article explains the Hawaii gambling laws in detail, covering the specifics of what you can’t do when it comes to gambling.
The current gambling situation in Hawaii is as cut and dry as it gets and it’s pretty grim. All kinds of gambling, including online sports betting, is fully prohibited and illegal. The only way people in Hawaii can bet on sports is by using unregulated offshore casinos and sportsbooks and that doesn’t come without risks. Thus gambling illegal in Hawaii. Even Hawaii, with its beautiful beaches and special culture, has actually taken to thinking about betting in the previous a number of years in order to deal with budget plan deficits and ever-increasing expenses of living.
Top 3 Hawaii Online Casinos
History of the Gambling Laws in Hawaii
When Captain James Cook discovered the islands in 1778, gambling was a popular pastime among the Hawaiian residents during the Makahiki festival. From October to February, people could place bets on various games and contests — even non-participants could bet on the outcome of the competition. However, the popularity of the festival declined over the years and, in the 1800s, the American missionaries forbid gambling on moral grounds. In August 1825, native chiefs met and placed a prohibition upon vice, gambling, theft, and violation of the Sabbath.
Hawaii has been a gambling-free zone since the State joined the US in 1959. Not even horse racing or bingo is allowed, and if local lawmakers legalized gambling, that would hurt the economy. Hawaii is one of the few states that don’t have a state lottery and all the bills designed to change that have failed so far. The state authorities are under the impression that the State shouldn’t try to compete with Las Vegas and that the introduction of land-based casino establishments would be detrimental to the local businesses because tourists would start spending money in the casinos instead.
However, there have been efforts to legalize gambling in Hawaii. Back in 2010, the state considered to set up a stand-alone casino in Waikiki, but the idea was soon dismissed. In February 2010, the state House Finance Committee rejected a bill to allow casinos on Hawaiian homelands.
In early 2011, the State nearly legalized poker. A bill was introduced to define poker as a game of skill which would make it exempt from the state gambling law. In March 2011, the bill made it past the Judiciary Committee but didn’t receive a House Finance Committee hearing due to the lack of necessary public support.
The lawmakers in Hawaii proposed a bill in 2013, pushing for the creation of a Hawaii Internet Lottery and Gaming Corporation. However, it did not make it through the state’s legal process. The reasoning for such a decision can be seen in one of the bill’s excerpts:
“Moreover, tens of millions of dollars in revenues generated from online gambling are being realized by offshore operators serving Hawaii residents, but no benefits are provided to the State. To protect Hawaii residents who gamble on the Internet, and to capture revenues generated from internet gambling in Hawaii, it is in the best interest of the State and its citizens to regulate this existing activity by authorizing and implementing a secure, responsible, and legal system for internet gambling.”
What Forms of Gambling Are Legal in Hawaii?
Hawaiian gambling laws are strict, as they prohibit gambling aboard ships or in casinos of any kind and wagering on horse or dog races. In fact, the only type of gambling allowed in the Aloha States is social gambling, but only if it is not committed in a motel, hotel, nightclub, bar, or any business establishment or public place.
Social poker is allowed in Hawaii, but there are strict rules surrounding this type of game. To begin with, organizers cannot make any profit for hosting the games. The law even states that the host of social poker games is not allowed to make a profit by selling beverages or food.
Online Poker
Neither online poker nor any form of the popular casino table game is legal in Hawaii. Even if the state’s gambling industry makes its first steps soon, it’s highly unlikely that online poker will be legalized for at least another couple of years. That said, Hawaiians should play private games of poker rather than breaking the law on offshore sites.
Online Gambling
Although the Aloha State doesn’t explicitly forbids online gambling, the general prohibition is strict and extensive enough to cover all internet gambling activities. Any individual who is caught to gamble in Hawaii can face up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000. There are certain laws exceptions when it comes to social gambling, but online players can’t take advantage of this.
Hawaii Gambling Laws Concerning Indian Tribal Lands
Many states in the US that explicitly forbid land-based casinos allow Indian tribes in the state to open casinos in reservations under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, but not Hawaii. Since the Aloha state prohibits all gambling without exception, it can, under IGRA, regulate gambling on tribal lands.
FAQ
Are there any casinos in Hawaii?
No, there aren’t, due to strict gambling laws.
Is there any form of gambling legal in Hawaii?
The only kind of gambling allowed in the Aloha States is social gambling, but only if it is not committed in a motel, hotel, nightclub, bar, or any business establishment or public place.
Is daily fantasy sports legal in Hawaii?
Daily fantasy sports are illegal in Hawaii.
Why there aren’t any Native casinos in Hawaii?
Hawaii and Utah are the only states that prohibit all forms of gambling, and as such can regulate gambling on Native American Lands, according to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
What are the consequences of gambling in Hawaii?
Gambling is a misdemeanor offense in Hawaii and you could be charged up to $2,000 and be sentenced to up to one year in the country jail.
ByThere 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
Gambling Illegal In Hawaii
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
Is Gambling Illegal In Hawaii
— 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.