Hawaii

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more conservative state when it comes to gambling than Hawaii. Perhaps Utah would be the continental US equivalent to The Aloha State. Just about every form of gambling is prohibited by Hawaii gambling laws.

However, this has not been from a lack of attempts to change this. As recently as 2021, Bills were introduced to offer casino gaming, a state lottery, online sports betting, and poker. Frustratingly, these have been either deferred or referred to Committee.

Since a solution is not as easy as driving out-of-state to enjoy Vegas-style gambling, Hawaiians have been left with little choice but to try online gambling at offshore online casinos. When searching for a safe and trustworthy online casino or the latest & greatest casino bonuses, we invite Hawaiians to see our recommended lists for themselves.

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Hawaii Online Gambling & Sportsbooks in 2022

As of 2022, there is still no legal online sportsbooks or online casino options. Attempts were made with bills SB 2571 and HB 1107 as recently as 2020, but would not progress further.

There are currently no bills on being considered in 2022 to allow either online sports betting or online gambling.

Best Bonuses in Hawaii Casinos

The best bonuses in Hawaii casinos sometimes offer a no deposit signup bonus, usually applicable on selected slots. Occasionally other games such as roulette or card games also qualify.

On the first or first few deposits, players from Hawaii can potentially collect $100s/$1,000s in bonus money. Additionally, some welcome offers also include free spins on selected slots.

All casino bonuses are subject to bonus T&Cs and wagering requirements. Since these can vary considerably, it’s important to read them carefully to choose the most favorable ones.

To help choose the best ones, we’ve listed online casinos with competitive bonuses that accept Hawaii players below.

Best New Casinos in Hawaii

Hawaii would seem to be the wrong state to be in if you enjoy gambling of pretty much any kind. Players looking to visit brick and mortar casinos will be equally disappointed to find out that none exist in the state.

Rather than letting it stop them, Hawaiians who enjoy slot machines, roulette, baccarat, blackjack, video poker, sports betting, and more have shifted to online casinos.

The best new casinos in Hawaii offer an excellent combination of slots, casino games, specialty games, and more. Additionally, many of the same casinos offer VIP programs, comp points, promotions, and more to help keep things fresh.

The online gambling sites listed below are licensed and trustworthy. Also, all online casino games and slots that use random number generators (RNGs) are tested and certified as fair sites for gambling online by independent third parties.

These online casinos accept USD & BTC deposits and withdrawals using payment methods like Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover, and Bitcoin wallets.

To find out more about any casino and its internet gambling offer, see the accompanying legal online gambling sites review from our experts.

Hawaii Gambling Overview

Social gaming is the only form of online gambling permitted in Hawaii. Hawaiians who enjoy gambling have found a second home in Las Vegas, with thousands flying there every year. Illegal gambling, which includes card houses, cockfighting, and sportsbooks, is thriving in Hawaii.

Hawaii is one of two states that prohibits any form of gambling online or offline, with the other being Utah. This means no land-based casinos, including tribal and commercial. Not even gambling ships departing from a Hawaiian Island to international waters are permitted.

Pari-mutuels, horse racing, and sports betting are also prohibited. The same is true of all forms of online gambling and fantasy sports/daily fantasy sports.

Gambling is a criminal offense in Hawaii punishable by jail time. Some forms of punishment are more severe, including holding lotteries or games for personal profit.

Social Gaming

• 712-1231 defines social gambling as a competition on equal terms where only players can profit. It cannot be played in a nightclub, bar, hotel, motel, billiard parlor, massage parlor, cocktail lounge, restaurant, or any business establishment or public property.

Hawaii Gambling History

In 2016, Attorney General Doug Chin decided that fantasy sports and daily fantasy sports were illegal in Hawaii. He concluded that these were games of chance outside of a player’s control, falling under the definition of online gambling.

Almost 10 years ago, the House Judiciary Committee of Hawaii and the House Economic Revitalization and Business Committee favored legalizing gambling. However, it was rejected by the legislature.

Before that, poker tournaments, games of skill, and online gambling sites (where servers would be based in the state) were considered for legalization but failed to materialize.

Near the end of 2020, the state drafted a legislative proposal (HB No. 359) for a resort & casino on a Department of Hawaiian Home Lands-owned resort (DHHL) property in Kapolei. This would also mean the establishment of a Hawaii Games Commission.

The proposal’s motivation would be to help plug the DHHL’s almost $200 million/year budget deficit. There has been plenty of opposition, including concerns about opening the floodgates to tribal casinos in Hawaii.

Several Bills related to online gambling and other ways to wager have been introduced in the 2021 legislative session. SB No. 853, SB No. 561, and HB No. 363 proposed establishing a Hawaii state lottery within the budget and finance department. Although the original proposal was for a January 1, 2022 launch date, it was pushed back to 2023 for more study.

HB No. 457 would study whether two casinos in West Oahu would be feasible and other legalized gambling forms, including a state lottery or offshore gambling.

On February 18, 2021, HB No. 1321, which would have allowed the Hawaiian Homes Commission to oversee online gambling, casino bingo, pari-mutuels, or horse racing, was deferred until 2026.

Furthermore, HB No. 772 allowing a Vegas-style casino on top of the Hawaii Convention Center, was delayed. This casino would have targeted tourists as opposed to locals. HB No. 736 (digital sports betting platform pilot program) and HB No. 383 (creation of a state poker commission overseeing live poker) were also deferred.

Hawaii Gambling FAQ

Does Hawaii have land-based casinos?

No, Hawaii does not have any land-based casinos. This means no tribal casinos, no legal poker rooms and no commercial casinos. Even casino cruise ships leaving from or ending in Hawaii, offering gambling in international waters, are prohibited.

You cannot make money playing games of chance in Hawaii, unless you are around a table with friends and you’re all playing. The presence of any middleman who can profit without risk makes a game illegal under laws that govern gambling in Hawaii.

Does Hawaii offer state or multistate lotteries?

No, Hawaii does not have a state lottery.

Is online gambling legal in Hawaii?

Online gambling in Hawaii is prohibited. Potential laws to permit people to gamble online have been put forward, but none have ever been passed.

Is sports betting legal in Hawaii?

No, sports betting in Hawaii is not legal.

What forms of gambling in Hawaii are legal?

Hawaii prohibits all forms of brick-and-mortar and online gambling in the state, making them just one of two states to not permit any kind of gambling site. The only accepted form is social gaming.

Are fantasy sports and daily fantasy sports legal in Hawaii?

No, Hawaii has determined that fantasy sports and daily fantasy sports are illegal. Sites including DraftKings and FanDuel no longer accept players from Hawaii. This was not considered a massive blow to the providers due to a generally low interest in sports.

The ban on Hawaii online gambling sites is more secure than most such bans, thanks to a lack of local sporting teams.

What is the legal gambling age in Hawaii?

Hawaii has the most restrictive gambling laws in the United States. Only players 18+ can legally gamble, which is severely limited to social games.

Is a change in Hawaii gambling laws likely?

Often, a change in the law seems very unlikely right up until the moment it happens. There is certainly support for sports betting and online casino options in Hawaii, even if the Aloha State doesn’t have any kind of legal betting right now.

Even though there isn’t so much as a Hawaii internet lottery, that doesn’t mean a law couldn’t be passed tomorrow if there were the right provisions contained in it.

Conclusion

Hawaii lawmakers continue to demonstrate stubbornness to legalize any form of gambling. Sadly, it seems that at present, even a state lottery is somewhat of a pipe dream, let alone online poker.

This reluctance is rather puzzling as it also represents a lost opportunity to collect much-needed tax revenue. While the pressure continues to build for change, the timeframe on potential Hawaii online gambling sites is unclear.

So does this mean that you’re out of luck if you’re looking for Vegas-style casino games in Hawaii? Actually, the truth is far from it when visiting one of our safe and trustworthy online casinos recommended by our experts. If you’re primarily interested in online casino bonuses, you find our top list for these too.

Because we update our Hawaii page regularly, we also suggest you revisit us periodically for more news on gambling sites. If Hawaii does legalize sports betting, you’ll hear about it here.