Proponents say the bill would result in millions of dollars in tax revenue for Hawaiʻi but some lawmakers fear it would create financial and social issues for gambling addicts.
The House on Tuesday took the unprecedented step of passing a controversial measure to legalize online sports betting.
Gambling on sports in Hawaii is already legal. However, 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 bet on apps through a person’s 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.
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The bill would legalize online sports betting applications in the state. The measure would allow for up to four operators to become licensed and operate in Hawaii.
The ease with which problem gamblers could access betting applications drew opposition from some lawmakers.
The House on Tuesday took the unprecedented step of passing a sports betting bill. Most gambling measures in past sessions have failed to advance to a full floor vote in either chamber. (Blaze Lovell/Civil Beat/2025)
Rep. Andrew Garrett said he had a friend with a gambling addicition who fell into financial ruin because of it.
“I wouldn’t wish that pain on anyone,” he said.
Proponents argued that gambling addiction exists in Hawaii even without a legal form of gambling. HB 1308 would allocate a portion of tax revenues to treat gambling addiction.
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Hawaii’s current laws “have not stopped thousands of residents from participating in online sports betting through offshore and illegal platforms,” Rep. Dan Holt said. “The reality is that sports wagering is already happening.”
Experts have warned that sports betting has not created a windfall in states that have passed similar measures.
Representatives of the sports betting industry previously told lawmakers that the tax on revenues generated in Hawaii could result in about $10 million to $20 million in additional revenue for the state each year.
“Do we need that money to fix our roads?” Rep. David Alcos said. “Maybe taking care of families is a better choice.”
The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs would be tasked with regulating the industry. But Director Nadine Ando told lawmakers that the $200,000 a year that would be allocated to the department through licensing fees, as a previous draft of the bill called for, wouldn’t be enough to pay for a new gambling enforcement division.
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Ando noted that other states that regulate sports betting often already had gaming commissions to oversee all gambling in the state. Some have up to 400 full-time employees.
“It’s monumental, what would need to be done in order to set this up to regulate this industry,” Ando told the House Finance Committee on Feb. 24.
The measure that passed the House on Tuesday leaves the amount that each operator would need to pay in fees blank.
Like the House, the Senate is also exploring legalizing gambling. While it shelved a bill earlier this year to allow for casinos on Oʻahu, on Tuesday senators gave the nod to establishing a tourism and gaming working group to study the idea of how gambling might create jobs, investment and tax revenue for the state.
The group would be housed within the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism and could include representatives of Boyd Gaming Corp., DraftKings Inc. and MGM Resorts International. A report from the working group would be submitted just before the 2026 legislative session.
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Civil Beat politics editor Chad Blair contributed to this report.
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At UH Hilo, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi is not simply a subject taught in classrooms, it is a living language that connects us to this place, to one another, and to the generations who came before us.
This column is by Pelehonuamea Harman, director of Native Hawaiian engagement at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. In her columns, Pele shares Native Hawaiian protocols on the use of ōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), cultural traditions, traditional ways of Indigenous learning, and more. This column is on Mahina ʻOlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Language Month), celebrated every February to honor the Hawaiian language.Pelehonuamea Harman
Each year, the month of Pepeluali marks Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, a time dedicated to celebrating and uplifting the Hawaiian language. At the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi is not simply a subject taught in classrooms, it is a living language that connects us to this place, to one another, and to the generations who came before us.
While Pepeluali gives us a focused moment of celebration, the Hawaiian language should not live only within a single month. ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi thrives when it is used every day.
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One of the simplest and most meaningful ways to begin is by pronouncing the words we already encounter daily with accuracy and care. Hawaiian is an oral language carried through voice and relationship. When we take the time to say words correctly, we demonstrate respect for the language and for the poʻe (people) who have worked tirelessly to ensure its survival.
Across our own campus, we have opportunities to do this every day.
Let us honor the names of our places by using them fully:
An attendee at celebrations on May 6, 2023, takes a photo of the new Edith Kanakaʻole mural by artist Kamea Hadar. The mural is located at Edith Kanakaʻole Hall, named after beloved educator Aunty Edith, on the campus of UH Hilo. (Photo: UH System News)
Kanakaʻole Hall, not “K-Hall.” (Formally Edith Kanakaʻole Hall, named after our beloved kumu.)
Waiʻōlino, not “CoBE,” for our College of Business and Economics. (Formally Hānau ʻO Waiʻōlino; waiʻōlino literally means sparkling waters, alluding here to bringing forth waters of wellbeing and prosperity.)
These names are not merely labels for buildings. They carry ʻike (knowledge), history, and meaning. Speaking them in their entirety acknowledges the stories and values embedded within them.
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Using ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi does not require fluency. It simply requires willingness. Each of us already knows words we can begin using more intentionally.
Greet one another with aloha.
Express gratitude with mahalo whenever possible.
Small choices like these help normalize Hawaiian language in our daily interactions and strengthen UH Hilo’s identity as a place grounded in Hawaiʻi.
One of the most common questions I am asked is: How do you respond in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi when someone says “mahalo” to you?
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Here are three simple and appropriate responses:
ʻAʻole pilikia — It’s no problem.
He mea iki — It is just a little thing.
Noʻu ka hauʻoli — The pleasure is mine.
There is no single correct answer. What matters most is participating in the exchange and allowing the language to live through conversation.
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Aerial view of the UH Hilo campus with Hilo Bay in the distance. UH Hilo’s commitment to Native Hawaiian success and place-based education calls on all of us to help create an environment where ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi is visible, audible, and welcomed. (Archive photo)
UH Hilo holds a unique and important role as Hawaiʻi Island’s university. Our commitment to Native Hawaiian success and place-based education calls on all of us to help create an environment where ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi is visible, audible, and welcomed.
You do not need to wait until you feel ready. You do not need to know many words. The language grows stronger each time it is spoken.
So during Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi and throughout the entire year I encourage the UH Hilo ʻohana to:
Use the Hawaiian words you already know.
Pronounce names and places with intention and care.
Greet others with aloha.
Share mahalo often.
Because when we use ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, we are doing more than speaking words, we are helping to perpetuate and uplift the native language of our home.
E ola ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. Let the Hawaiian language live.
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Tread Rosenthal, Trevell Jordan and Louis Sakanoko put up a triple block against BYU Cougars Trevor Herget during Wednesday’s NCAA men’s volleyball match at the Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
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Kainoa Wade came on strong to lead another balanced Hawaii attack with 16 kills and the third-ranked Rainbow Warriors responded to a rare set loss in a big way to defeat No. 6 Brigham Young 27-25, 23-25, 25-17, 25-18 tonight.
A Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 4,800, who showed up for a match scheduled just three weeks ago as a late addition to the schedule, saw Hawaii (13-1) drop the second set despite hitting .538.
UH had full command of the rest of the match and finished the night hitting .460 as a team. Louis Sakanoko added 15 kills, six digs and three aces and Adrien Roure had 14 kills in 24 swings.
Middle Travell Jordan posted a season-high seven kills in 11 swings with four blocks and Ofeck Hazan, who came into the match to start the third set, had four kills and two blocks.
Trent Moser had 18 kills to lead the Cougars (13-3), whose previous two losses came in five sets against No. 4 UC Irvine.
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UH’s loss in the second set was just its sixth of the season and third in its 13 wins. Hawaii has won 10 matches in a row.
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The two teams will play again on Friday night at 7.
