Hawaii is one of the two states in the US (the other being Utah) that prohibits all forms of gambling — not even bingo for charitable purposes is allowed. The state’s law defines gambling as “betting something of value on a contest of chance.” In Hawaii, engaging in gambling is considered a misdemeanor offense. Without any land-based establishments, many Hawaiian residents chose to break the law by playing in underground gambling enterprises or on offshore sites, but we would strongly advise against it.

We bring you the very best real money Online Casinos in Hawaii ️ Best Bonus Offers ️ Top Game Selection ️ Great Customer Support. Hawaii Online Casinos For most people, Hawaii is paradise on earth. If you are an earnest gambler, however, Hawaii gambling laws can leave you in tears. This is because Hawaii boasts some of the most rigid legislation, as far as gambling is concerned. Hawaii Online Casino While there may be no land based casinos in Hawaii nor are there online casinos operating out of the island, Hawaii online casino websites are not totally unheard of in this beautiful U.S. The residents of Hawaii are not barred from logging on to the Internet and playing in online casinos. Even though Hawaii doesn’t explicitly prohibit online gambling, the overall legislative situation is rigorous and broad enough to include any kind of online gambling activity. If you were caught gambling in the Aloha state you could be fined up to $2,000 or go to jail for a year.

This article explains the Hawaii gambling laws in detail, covering the specifics of what you can’t do when it comes to gambling.

A possible popular Hawaii online sportsbooks, DraftKings began its journey into the online casino world via the release of one blackjack game. This plummeted the operator into a new level of success.

Top 3 Hawaii Online Casinos

History of the Gambling Laws in Hawaii

When Captain James Cook discovered the islands in 1778, gambling was a popular pastime among the Hawaiian residents during the Makahiki festival. From October to February, people could place bets on various games and contests — even non-participants could bet on the outcome of the competition. However, the popularity of the festival declined over the years and, in the 1800s, the American missionaries forbid gambling on moral grounds. In August 1825, native chiefs met and placed a prohibition upon vice, gambling, theft, and violation of the Sabbath.

Hawaii has been a gambling-free zone since the State joined the US in 1959. Not even horse racing or bingo is allowed, and if local lawmakers legalized gambling, that would hurt the economy. Hawaii is one of the few states that don’t have a state lottery and all the bills designed to change that have failed so far. The state authorities are under the impression that the State shouldn’t try to compete with Las Vegas and that the introduction of land-based casino establishments would be detrimental to the local businesses because tourists would start spending money in the casinos instead.

However, there have been efforts to legalize gambling in Hawaii. Back in 2010, the state considered to set up a stand-alone casino in Waikiki, but the idea was soon dismissed. In February 2010, the state House Finance Committee rejected a bill to allow casinos on Hawaiian homelands.

In early 2011, the State nearly legalized poker. A bill was introduced to define poker as a game of skill which would make it exempt from the state gambling law. In March 2011, the bill made it past the Judiciary Committee but didn’t receive a House Finance Committee hearing due to the lack of necessary public support.

The lawmakers in Hawaii proposed a bill in 2013, pushing for the creation of a Hawaii Internet Lottery and Gaming Corporation. However, it did not make it through the state’s legal process. The reasoning for such a decision can be seen in one of the bill’s excerpts:

“Moreover, tens of millions of dollars in revenues generated from online gambling are being realized by offshore operators serving Hawaii residents, but no benefits are provided to the State. To protect Hawaii residents who gamble on the Internet, and to capture revenues generated from internet gambling in Hawaii, it is in the best interest of the State and its citizens to regulate this existing activity by authorizing and implementing a secure, responsible, and legal system for internet gambling.”

What Forms of Gambling Are Legal in Hawaii?

Hawaiian gambling laws are strict, as they prohibit gambling aboard ships or in casinos of any kind and wagering on horse or dog races. In fact, the only type of gambling allowed in the Aloha States is social gambling, but only if it is not committed in a motel, hotel, nightclub, bar, or any business establishment or public place.

Social poker is allowed in Hawaii, but there are strict rules surrounding this type of game. To begin with, organizers cannot make any profit for hosting the games. The law even states that the host of social poker games is not allowed to make a profit by selling beverages or food.

Online Poker

Neither online poker nor any form of the popular casino table game is legal in Hawaii. Even if the state’s gambling industry makes its first steps soon, it’s highly unlikely that online poker will be legalized for at least another couple of years. That said, Hawaiians should play private games of poker rather than breaking the law on offshore sites.

Online Gambling

Although the Aloha State doesn’t explicitly forbids online gambling, the general prohibition is strict and extensive enough to cover all internet gambling activities. Any individual who is caught to gamble in Hawaii can face up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000. There are certain laws exceptions when it comes to social gambling, but online players can’t take advantage of this.

Hawaii Gambling Laws Concerning Indian Tribal Lands

Many states in the US that explicitly forbid land-based casinos allow Indian tribes in the state to open casinos in reservations under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, but not Hawaii. Since the Aloha state prohibits all gambling without exception, it can, under IGRA, regulate gambling on tribal lands.

FAQ

Are there any casinos in Hawaii?

No, there aren’t, due to strict gambling laws.

Is there any form of gambling legal in Hawaii?

The only kind of gambling allowed in the Aloha States is social gambling, but only if it is not committed in a motel, hotel, nightclub, bar, or any business establishment or public place.

Is daily fantasy sports legal in Hawaii?

Daily fantasy sports are illegal in Hawaii.

Why there aren’t any Native casinos in Hawaii?

Hawaii and Utah are the only states that prohibit all forms of gambling, and as such can regulate gambling on Native American Lands, according to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

What are the consequences of gambling in Hawaii?

Gambling is a misdemeanor offense in Hawaii and you could be charged up to $2,000 and be sentenced to up to one year in the country jail.

• Year Hawaii Regulated Gambling: There are no forms of regulated and legal Hawaii gambling
• Estimated Tax Revenue from Gambling: None
• Estimated Gambling Revenue: None
• Hawaii Gambling Age: None
• Smoking ban: Hawaii bans smoking in all public places
• Hawaii Online gambling: There are no forms of legalized online gambling in Hawaii

Hawaii is one state with no casinos, and does not allow any form of gambling. Utah is the other. Bingo is not even allowed. This includes charitable purposes. With no Hawaii gambling available, it is still great for tourists.

Hawaii is not anti-gambling, it simply does not want to compete with Las Vegas and other bigger gambling vacation spots. Most tourists do not go on vacation to Hawaii with the thought of gambling. Hawaii casinos would simply take money out of the local economy and be mostly funded by residents of the islands. There are services residents and tourists can use, like casino party and event centers. You can play casino games, but there is not real betting or money exchanged. Below you can use our Hawaii casinos map of services.

Online Casino Hawaiian

Hawaii does not allow casino cruise ships to operate from their state. Even though most states without gambling allow cruise ships to operate. Cruises that originate or end in Hawaii may not possess commercial gambling devices, including electronic casino games. Hawaii casino gamblers must go to the mainland to get any kind of gambling action.

Hawaii Casinos Map of Event Services

• None

• Number of B&M Casinos: 0
• Number of Poker Rooms: 0
• Number of Indian Casinos: 0

Types of Online Hawaii Gambling Allowed

There are no forms of legal online gambling in Hawaii, including online casino gambling. Daily fantasy sports are not even legal. Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin announced in January 2016 that daily fantasy sports were illegal in the state. Honolulu Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro followed this up by sending cease-and-desist orders to FanDuel and DraftKings, ordering the two sites to stop accepting action from players in Oahu. DraftKings immediately complied with this order, something that shocked the daily fantasy sports industry as the site typically ignores these demands and challenged them in court.

Types of Live Hawaii Gambling

There are no forms of live gambling that are legal in Hawaii. The closest thing to it is home poker games. Bars may offer poker tournaments as long as there is no buy-in.

There are no Hawaii casinos on any of the islands. This is due to the fact that most tourists do not go to Hawaii looking to gamble, but rather enjoy any of the other amenities that the state has to offer. On top of this fact, Hawaii does not want to compete with the larger states where gambling is expected and anticipated when tourists travel to those locations, like Las Vegas.

Hawaii Gambling Laws

Hawaii gambling laws are serious about not legalizing any forms of gambling. Promoting gambling in the first degree and possession of gambling records are both Class C felonies in Hawaii. Most other crimes in Hawaii gambling laws are considered misdemeanors. Hawaii gambling law defines gambling as a person staking or risking something of value upon a game of chance or upon any future contingent event not under the person’s control. Any material degree of chance is considered a wager under state law.

Most states without casinos permits boats to operate gambling as long as they go into international waters. Hawaii does not allow any casino cruise ships to do this. Any cruises that originate or conclude in the Hawaiian Islands are not permitted to possess gambling devices.

Where to Gamble in Hawaii

There is no gambling in Hawaii. Any Hawaii casino gamblers looking for these types of games must catch a flight to the mainland. The most popular destination is Las Vegas, Nevada.

Those that want the experience of playing casino games while in Hawaii can find these services. There are plenty of Hawaii casinos services, like party and event centers that offer the games, without the real money gambling being involved.

History of Gambling in Hawaii

Gambling has never been a part of the culture in Hawaii. Some racetracks operated in the country before it joined the United States. There have been no forms of gambling in Hawaii since it became the 50^th state in 1959. There have been few attempts to change this. One exception is online poker. A handful of Hawaii Assembly members tried to legalize online poker starting in 2008. This went on for six years until the effort proved to be futile. No attempt was made in 2015 or 2016.

Daily fantasy sports sites operated in Hawaii until 2016. In January of that year, Attorney General Doug Chin and his office released an opinion that stated daily fantasy sports is illegal.

“Gambling generally occurs under Hawaii law when a person stakes or risks something of value upon a game of chance or upon any future contingent event, not under the person’s control,” Chin said in a statement at the time. “The technology may have changed, but the vice has not.”

DraftKings left the Hawaii market within days. This was only the second time DraftKings obeyed an order from a state attorney general. The other state was Nevada. On the other hand, DraftKings decided to fight attorneys general in New York and Illinois. It is believed that DraftKings did not feel the Hawaii daily fantasy sports market was worth fighting to save due to its size. Football, baseball, and basketball are not nearly as popular in Hawaii as they are in most other states. The time zone and great weather are thought to be reasons for the lack of interest in sports in the state.

Hawaii Casinos & Gambling FAQ

Hawaii Casino Resorts

There are currently no casinos in Hawaii due to strict gambling laws.

Casinos are not legal in Hawaii.

There is no legal gambling in Hawaii. It is one of just two states without any forms gambling. Utah is the other.

No. Only ships that temporarily dock in Hawaii may offer gambling. Cruises that begin or end in Hawaii may not.

Lotteries are illegal in Hawaii.

Daily fantasy sports sites are considered to be illegal in Hawaii.

These sites and others like it are not legal in Hawaii.