Online sports betting in Hawaii will have to wait after a pressure to legalize in the state legislative council.
Friday was the last working day of the Legislative Assembly’s session, and the representative of Daniel Holt, a representative who tried to bring online sports betting to Hawaii, stopped in a committee.
Holt told KHON2 in his statement, “We have not reached an agreement on the details of the number of operators, the tax rate, the wages and the details of such things.” He said. He continued: “And still remained unanswered by some members who have worried about sports betting.”
Holt introduced HB 1308 in January of this year. The legislation was going to license four or more online sports books to operate in Hawaii, but the first release of HB 1308 did not address tax rate or license fees and did not leave them open for negotiation.
The bill would legalize daily fantasy sports in Hawaii, where it was not allowed.
In Hawaii, the legalization movement of sports betting has a share of competitors inside and outside the state legislature.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Bangiardi said in a statement last week, “Our neighborhoods and families are very dangerous to allow sports betting to weaken our efforts to create safe, stable and healthy communities.” He said. “We should not offer a system that risks the integrity of our neighborhoods and the security of our residents, and our focus should continue to protect our people.”
Holt, himself and the legislative council of the other defenders of sports gambling “next year will do another experiment and how to see how to go,” he said.
-FELD level media
