Bill to establish Hawaii iGaming regulator introduced

As part of the continued rollout of sports betting regulations since the dissolving of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, Hawaii is now looking into getting into the sports betting market. However, the island state has no state body responsible for offering and regulating iGaming services. There is no gambling permitted in Hawaii, including casinos, sports betting, bingo and lotteries.

But that might be changing with the introduction of a proposed bill by democrats Senator Gil Keith-Agaran and Senator Angus McKelvey that would establish the Hawaiian Lottery and Gaming Corporation, which would handle the conduct and regulation of gaming operations, including poker and casino games.

As reported by iGB North America: “According to the bill text, one important purpose of the regulatory body would be to attract tourists to the state. As such, it would be charged with offering free-to-play and sweepstake games to those located outside the state – and would be authorized to offer multi-state games in support of this objective.”

If it is passed, the bill suggests a seven-member board of directors to be appointed and chosen by the state governor, the president of the Senate and the speaker of the state House. A chief executive will then be appointed by this board of directors.

It’s anyone’s guess whether this bill will actually get through, however, since Hawaii has already tabled five bills concerning iGaming in the state.