The state is enacting a series of laws that target the gambling space
Hawaii lawmakers are pushing forward with a new set of bills aimed at reshaping the state’s strict stance on gambling, focusing on enforcement rather than legalization for now. Honolulu officials recently passed Bills 11, 12, and 13, each designed to give law enforcement more tools to combat the rise of illegal gaming rooms on the island of Oahu.
Bill 11 introduces penalties specifically targeting gambling devices, allowing the city to impose fines as part of the effort to shut down unauthorized operations. Bill 12 aims to improve coordination between the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) and the city’s Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, making it easier to pursue charges and dismantle illegal setups. Meanwhile, Bill 13 addresses property owners who allow their spaces to be used for unlawful gaming activity, holding them accountable and giving city officials more leverage in cracking down on these venues.
Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm described the problem as widespread, estimating that over 60 illegal game rooms have been shut down over the past year alone. The new laws, he believes, could help put a serious dent in those numbers and make it more difficult for new operations to pop up.
At the same time, Hawaii continues to hold firm as one of only two US states with no legal gambling of any kind. Recent efforts to legalize sports betting, specifically House Bill 1308, stalled earlier this year. Lawmakers failed to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill, leaving the state without a pathway for legal sports wagering until at least 2026.
While enforcement is currently the focus, the broader debate over whether Hawaii should legalize and regulate gambling remains ongoing. For now, city officials are putting their energy into enforcement and hoping these new bills will help restore order and discourage underground gaming operations.
