You'll find several failed attempts to legalize online Hawaii sportsbooks. Another attempt — HB1308 — has passed the House of Representatives, but has yet to make it over the major hurdle of the Senate. This is required for it to become law.
Still, we have the latest news and information for you here if you are curious to know the current situation regarding Best Sportsbooks and sports betting in the US island state. We'll cover HB1308 and its predecessor, SB1569, and look at what we might see in the future if Hawaiian lawmakers do finally allow Sportsbook Promos and online sports betting sites to operate on the island.
Are sportsbooks legal in Hawaii?
Unfortunately, no — you cannot legally get involved with online sports betting in the Aloha state. In fact, Hawaii doesn't currently allow any form of sports betting or other gambling, such as online casino games, making it an outlier when compared to other US states. If you're looking for where legal wagering is already available, our guide to Best Sportsbooks covers every state where online betting is up and running.
That's not to say Hawaiians haven't made concerted efforts to change that though. Indeed, lawmakers have been attempting to pass bills that would finally introduce online sports betting to the island state. Here, we go through the recent efforts that have been underway to change things.
Bill SB1569 - passed the House, failed at the Senate
While this bill was passed by the House of Representatives in Hawaii, it failed to get over the second hurdle and get the nod from the Senate. This did not dissuade supporters from having another go though, as we'll see below.
Bill HB1308 - passed the House
As we've seen above, getting a bill through the House does not indicate success at the Senate. Once HB1308 reaches the Senate for consideration, it would need to receive approval for online sports betting to finally be introduced into law in the Aloha state.
We have noted some changes to this bill compared to SB1569. It includes fantasy sports, which the previous bill did not, and provides more insight into customer protection features. There is obviously also the promise of tax revenues to come if the state did finally allow online sports betting to get off the starting blocks.
However, HB1308 must still be passed by the Senate, and as things stand, it is hard for us to feel too positive about the likelihood of that happening — or whether the bill will become yet another failed effort. As we understand it, lawmakers are still making adjustments to the bill to give it the best chance of success once it gets to the Senate.
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Q&As focusing on Hawaii sportsbooks
While we know that HI doesn't yet allow online sportsbooks, we can still look at a few common questions that crop up regarding the subject. We've provided answers to some of the main queries here.
🌊 Can Hawaiian residents access any online sportsbooks?
There are no state-approved sportsbooks available anywhere on the island as things stand. However, some residents choose to access offshore sportsbooks instead.
While this might seem like a good prospect, it leaves consumers exposed to the risk of these offshore websites disappearing without notice — along with funds held in customer accounts.
Thus, we hope that Hawaiian lawmakers will finally approve HB1308 and introduce some legal Hawaii sportsbooks for sports fans to join. This would reduce the number of people risking the use of offshore services.
🎂 What will the minimum age be for sports betting in Hawaii?
If a bill is passed by the Senate (whether that is HB1308 or an undetermined future bill), it will likely stipulate the rules and regulations all accepted sportsbooks must adhere to if they are granted a license to operate in the state. Since most other US states have a minimum age of 21, we think that is likely to be the case in Hawaii as well. We doubt it would be any lower.
🏝️ Is Hawaii the only US state that hasn't legalized online sports betting?
No — but it is just one of two, the other being Utah. That said, Utah does allow daily fantasy sports (DFS) — something that isn't the case in Hawaii. This makes Hawaii the strictest state out of all 50 US states.
The Federal law, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) originally outlawed online sports betting across all US states. When this was overturned in 2018, it meant individual states could decide to introduce legal sports betting. Now, several years down the line, we can see that Hawaii is still holding out.
🤔 If Hawaii legalized online sports betting, how many sites might there be to choose from?
It's hard to say. Some states only have limited sites available — take Connecticut, which has only three to choose from. In contrast, Nevada has more than a dozen. Since Hawaii has beaten back all attempts to legalize online betting, we suspect that it might follow Connecticut's stance if it did finally allow fans to bet on sports. It's unlikely to allow lots of sites from the start.
🎉 What sort of welcome promos might we see at Hawaiian sports betting websites if they go live?
We're a long way from this happening just now, but there are a few common sportsbook promos we've already seen in other US states that allow online sportsbooks. We've put together a table for you to refer back to if the Aloha state does finally legalize sports betting. If this does happen, we might expect to see some generous welcome offers to encourage state residents to participate.
| Bet Type | Explanation |
| No deposit bonus | You’ll typically receive bonus funds or a bonus bet just for opening an account; you’re not required to make a deposit, but you might be asked to provide proof of ID |
| First deposit bonus | Receive bonus funds when making a first deposit; usually a percentage of the deposit amount |
| Bonus bet offer | You may receive a bonus bet if your first bet wins (or loses, depending on the site) |
We always read the details for each sportsbook offer we're interested in, and would certainly continue that trend if we were comparing offers for new sports betting sites in the US island state. It would be particularly important in this case, if we had a handful of new sportsbooks in the Aloha state to compare. We'd consider these factors:
- The value of the bonus
- How long we had to use it
- Any wagering requirements attached to it
- How it compared to bonuses on other sites
Pros and cons of Hawaii sportsbooks
There is one obvious downside here — namely the fact that we are still waiting for the Aloha state to change its mind about online sports betting. We'll follow any updates about the latest bill, but here's a quick look at the current pros and cons of the situation. We believe there would be significant advantages to legalization, as we note here.
- Legalization would be safer
- Legal sports betting would bring in taxes
- Approved sportsbooks would be licensed
- None currently available
- Some state departments are against legalization
Hawaiians await the outcome of bill HB1308
We've seen excitement in other US states in the past when lawmakers have considered making online sports betting legal. If the mood is promising, this is felt long before a bill becomes law.
We've seen the opposite in Hawaii thus far, with a cool approach to any progress made. While some are supporting this latest bill, we would be more surprised if it passed the Senate than if it didn't. A key factor will be whether tax revenues and licensed sites hold enough appeal — and draw sports fans away from offshore betting sites. In the meantime, residents in neighboring states like Nevada continue to enjoy a wide range of legal options, and bettors across the country can explore sportsbook promo codes at fully regulated books. We await the outcome of HB1308 with interest — as do many other sports fans in the Aloha state.
While waiting for legal sportsbooks to arrive in Hawaii, residents who want to engage with sports and gaming legally can explore Best Sweepstakes Casinos, which operate under a separate legal framework and are available in most US states including Hawaii. Similarly, Social Sportsbooks offer a no-purchase-necessary model that allows Hawaiian residents to participate in sports-themed entertainment without running afoul of state law. Those looking for free ways to engage can also check out Free Picks from our expert analysts covering NFL, NBA, MLB, and more.
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Hawaii sportsbooks FAQs
️ Is FanDuel allowed in Hawaii?
No - and given that sports betting is currently not legal in the state, no other sportsbook operates their services there either.
How likely is it that Hawaii will eventually legalize online sportsbooks?
It's impossible to say, but we do know that several bills have attempted to do just this in the past, and none have gone through the Senate - the final step required for a bill to be passed into law.
️ What betting sites are legal in Hawaii?
Currently, there are no legal sports betting sites available online in Hawaii. Supporters have attempted to pass various bills in the state, but while some have progressed through the House of Representatives, they have not gone past the Senate.
Would you be able to bet on local teams at a Hawaiian sports betting site?
It depends - Connecticut allows online sports betting but has limitations when it comes to betting on local teams. If Hawaii decides to pass a bill legalizing sports betting, it may decide to take the same route.
Can I download a Hawaii sportsbook app?
No - an app is usually associated with a legalized online sportsbook, and since Hawaii does not allow these sites, you won't find any legal sports apps to download either.
