Hawaii Doesn’t Have Casinos. State Task Force Considers Changing That Reality
Posted on: January 24, 2026, 08:16h.
Last updated on: January 24, 2026, 08:16h.
- Hawaii has no legal form of gambling
- A state task force is mulling the pros and cons of casinos, sports betting, and lottery gaming
Hawaii is one of only two states, the other being Utah, that have no legal form of gambling. A state task force has assembled to consider the merits of bringing casinos, sports betting, a lottery, or other forms of gambling to the Aloha State.
Authorized through legislation last year, the Tourism and Gaming Working Group met for the first time on Thursday. The 24-member group consists of state lawmakers, law enforcement officials, tourism and gaming experts, and representatives from the gaming industry, including delegates from Boyd Gaming, FanDuel, Aristocrat Gaming, and Marnell Companies.
The working group is tasked with “researching gaming experiences in other states, reviewing potential gaming legislation, examining gaming possibilities at the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District and on vessels, and developing a comprehensive policy framework that addresses economic growth, job creation, tax revenues, and social considerations related to gambling.”
The group will investigate the hypothetical economic benefits against possible negative societal costs of gaming, along with the regulatory needs to govern such an industry. The working group is to submit a detailed report with findings and recommendations to the Hawaii State Legislature by late 2026.
Contentious First Meeting
During the Tourism and Gaming Working Group’s first gathering, sides were taken about whether Hawaii should join the 48 other states in legalizing some form of gambling. Opponents said casinos and other forms of gambling are drains on personal finances and specialize in preying on addiction.
Why do we need to study an activity that we already know will cause harm to our citizens?” asked Steve Alm, the prosecuting attorney for Honolulu County.
“Some will pose the argument that people are already gambling, even though it is illegal. The illegality of this activity is the very tool that is keeping many more from participating. Once we promote legalized gambling and put the societal stamp of approval on it, many individuals who are deterred from wasting their lives and finances will then participate. This is not worth the few extra tax dollars legal gambling would generate,” Alm declared.
Gambling, of course, is already occurring in Hawaii, with Michael Lambert, director of the Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement, conservatively estimating that the illegal market is worth roughly $800 million a year for illicit businesses. Lambert said underground gambling hubs are associated with drug dealing, armed robberies, and other criminal activity.
State Rep. Greggor Ilagan (D-District 4), who co-chairs the Tourism and Gaming Working Group, said the legalization of gaming could be used to rid the state of illegal gambling rings.
Las Vegas Impact
Hawaii represents a major feeder market for Las Vegas, and no casino company targets the islands more than Boyd Gaming.
Las Vegas is commonly called Hawaii’s “Ninth Island.” Boyd caters to visitors from Hawaii with its Vacations Hawaii packages that include flights on Hawaiian Airlines to one of Boyd’s Las Vegas resorts, including the California, Main Street Station, and Fremont.
The Cal, one of the downtown Las Vegas Boyd properties, features a Hawaiian theme and speaks “Aloha” fluently, so claims the resort’s branding.
Boyd is opposed to Hawaii legalizing casinos and welcoming outside companies that haven’t traditionally invested in the islands. Boyd’s Helping Hawaii initiative provided over a quarter of a million dollars to the islands after the 2023 Maui wildfires.
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