Hawaii is currently one of two states (Utah) that has no option to do any gambling at all in the United States. Hawaii's gambling laws may ban land-based gambling, but they are not actually making it a crime to gamble online, as far as we can tell. Hawaii has a ban on all forms of gambling except private in home USA gambling games in which everyone has equal chance to win. Hawaii does not even offer a state run lottery. Hawaii does not, however, regulate Hawaii online gambling sites, much like the rest of the nation. The Legal Gambling Age in Hawaii. Online Gambling Laws in The United States. Gambling laws can be a rather complex topic these days as there are several US federal gambling laws to account for such as the UIGEA, and the Federal Wire Act, as well as, several individual state gambling laws.

Welcome to LegalHawaiiGambling.com, the best place to learn all about legal online gambling sites for Hawaii residents. This site will cover online casinos, places to bet sports online, and even where Hawaii players can find an online poker game. In addition, this resource will point out all the important laws surrounding these different forms of gaming and explain why they are 100% safe to use. Plenty of sites out there claim that they are legal to use and you can take their word for it...or better yet, educate yourself and then weed through the selections that are out there. It is our pleasure to present this site as it is designed to be your one-stop shop for all online gambling information in Hawaii including staff-tested gaming sites that can be trusted.

​Hawaii statutes disallow almost every type of land-based gambling in the state, but online gambling is legal and safe for citizens. There are some great legal online gambling sites for Hawaii residents that offer everything from sports betting, to no-limit poker. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 does not allow the facilitation of online gambling sites in most of America, but the many overseas sites are legal to use. These sites function out of places like Canada and the UK, and there is no law against Hawaii residents using legitimate gambling sites. Be sure to follow the age requirements for online gambling, as underage gambling carries harsh penalties. The gambling age for most online gambling sites is 18.

Find Out More: Is Online Gambling Legal In Hawaii?

Sports betting has held a place in America’s heart for centuries. There is nothing more exciting than placing a bet on your favorite contestant or team, and following the ever-changing tide of odds as the game progresses. The internet has brought on many new exciting ways to bet, and there are now legal online sportsbooks that accept Hawaii residents, and offer the fastest lines on every major sport. These sites are reputable, safe, and innovative. Using advanced security software and garnering acclaim from sports media outlets such as ESPN and FOX Sports, these sites are the premier venues for sports fans worldwide.

Bovada is an offshoot of Bodog Entertainment, one of the leading names in sports. Functioning out of Quebec, Canada, this site has a phenomenal sportsbooks that hosts major sports, political and entertainment odds, and even E-sports. Whatever competitive game or contest you can think of, Bovada will have betting lines for it. The site has a license from the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, and is a favorite among many top sports publications. Hawaii residents looking for a world-class sportsbook need look no further than Bovada.lv

Bovada offers a novel live and in-play betting option that will have you playing the shifting odds as the game progresses. The live betting information updates throughout every game, and the odds adjust during breaks in the action. This is the most exciting way to bet on a game, and Bovada makes the process enjoyable and easy.

SportsBetting.ag has a refreshing amount of sportsbook options for Hawaii players. You can bet on football, baseball, hockey, MMA, boxing, golf, racing, and much more. You will get expert odds and insider sports information from industry leaders. You are betting the “smart money” at this site, as it is a favorite among sports enthusiasts for its no-nonsense layout and ease of use. SportsBetting is our favorite legal sports betting site for Hawaii citizens, and there has never been a better time to sign up, as they are offering handsome welcome bonuses.

The keyword for the internet age is convenience, and SportsBetting.ag offers an easy way to bet on your favorite games from anywhere in the world. The Mobile Betting option allows you to access the entire sportsbook from the palm of your hand. There is no software to download, just log in to your account from your mobile device, and they will automatically redirect you to the mobile sportsbook.

There are plenty of safe online casinos out there for Hawaii residents, and we have played at all of them. Judging on everything from signup bonuses to payout speeds, we have narrowed the list down to a few legal online casinos that accept Hawaii citizens. These sites use the latest security software to deliver a risk-free playing experience, and their beautiful games are a remarkable sight. Check out both of the virtual casinos to see which the right fit is for you.

Where Is Gambling Legal

Club World is an outstanding legal web based casino that accepts Hawaii players, and offers over 120 virtual casino games. You will find themed slot machines like Penguin Power and Naughty or Nice. You will find something to fascinate you at Club World, no matter how niche your interests. The site uses Real Time Gaming technology to deliver the most realistic games in the business, and the site gets monthly audits from Technical Systems Testing to ensure they are fair. This is the closest you will get to playing at a real casino, and there are no drink minimums or pit bosses to deal with.

Club World offers many excellent deposit options that will get your money into your account fast and safe. The most popular and efficient way to add fundsis via a credit/debit card, which works in much the same way as purchasing something from an online retailer. Just visit the cashier, type in your card information and how much you want to deposit, and you will be all set. Occasionally credit card companies restrict overseas transactions, so there are many alternative deposit options such as wiring cash through reputable banking services as well as by using prepaid gift cards and vouchers. Each method is fast and secure, and has their own fees, limits, and speeds.

Slots.lv is an up-and-comer in the virtual casino game, but the variety of games son offer blew our minds. You will find everything from Cleopatra’s Gold to Zombies vs Cheerleaders. Slots.lv also lets you play almost all of their games free before signing up, which is rare for online casinos, and is a testament to their stunning games. The site uses advanced security software to ensure your information is safe, and never has a member has experienced a security leak. Club World seems to do just about everything right, and we see them as a top contender for best virtual casino in the world.

Right now Slots.lv is offering a $2,000 Casino Games Bonus that can add some serious padding to your bankroll. For example, if you deposit $150 you can get $300 on you your first deposit, then $150 on your next six. This bonus money is usable on blackjack, video poker, and more. This great legal Hawaii online casino has players coming back every day and you can always try their games for free before committing to making a deposit.

Read More About: Legal Hawaii Online Casinos!

The advent of the internet has made poker more popular than ever before. Card fans now have numerous legal online poker sites in Hawaii to choose from, and each one offers something different. We have played at all the leading poker sites to see how they stack up, and have come up with one site that we believe to stand high above the rest. You want to make sure a site is reputable and well populated before signing up, and the one we have chosen ticks both of those boxes.

Every facet of BetOnline runs so smoothly you might think the site operates on future technology that the company has been hiding from the rest of us. Once you download the poker software, you will enter a packed lobby with thousands of players, and will never have trouble finding a table playing anything from Texas Hold’em, to Omaha hi/lo. This is simply the most well established legal online poker site for Hawaii residents. You will find nightly majors, guaranteed tournaments, sit and go’s, and profitable Freerolls that can reward you handsomely. The tables are fair, and there are no ads or popups to take you out of the game.

If you like fast-paced poker action, BetOnline’s sit and go tournaments will have you playing at turbo speed. You can start a tournament with anywhere from two to 45 players, and there are many gaming options to choose from, such as turbo, hyper turbo, and triple up. BetOnline’s sit and go tournaments are the most exciting way to play.

The laws that regulate online gambling are simple to understand once you comprehend the legal language. Online gambling is legal for Hawaii residents if they use trusted sites like the ones we review. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) does not allow people to set up online gambling sites in the states, but the many overseas sites that offer lawful gambling are completely safe to use. We have extensive legal sections on our site, which we urge you to check out if you are interested in learning more about the individual laws that affect online gambling.

Get More Information About Hawaii Gambling Laws - Click Here

The federal government generally leaves it up to the individual states to decide whether to allow most forms of land based gambling. Other than sports betting, the federal laws do not regulate gambling very much. Hawaii is one of the few states that does not offer land based gambling establishments, but there are many legal Hawaii gambling options out there. If a few friends want to get together for a poker game at a private residence, that is fine as long as the house isn’t taking a cut. Therefore, while you will not find a casino or a poker room in Hawaii, you can play with your buddies.

If you are looking for some high-stakes gambling in a safe environment, the many legal online gambling sites that accept Hawaii residents are the best options. We have reviewed a few of the top sites above, and we suggest looking at all of them to see which one is right for you.

Hawaii is a kind of paradise in many ways, but not when it comes to gambling laws. In fact, the island state, last to join the US, is pretty late joining the gambling party too, and is in fact one of only two states to offer absolutely no state regulated forms of gambling whatsoever, sharing this dubious privilege only with Utah.

The Aloha State also has pretty strict laws punishing gambling activity, with no legal options under the law at all except social home games. There are no exemptions for charity gambling under the law in Hawaii. There are no race tracks. There is no state lottery. There are no real money games, even social, allowed in bars or other public venues, and no licensed online activity. Even casino ships are not allowed to operate in and out of state ports. Your options are narrower than Amarillo Slim around here.

The Letter of the Law

The law states in no uncertain terms that gambling is not permitted in Hawaii. Gambling is defined as risking something of value in a contest of chance, and a contest of chance is defined as any game in which chance plays a material role, regardless of whether skill is also involved.

Is Gambling Legal In Hawaii

The only express exemption which exists under Hawaiian law is a concession allowing social home gaming under certain strict provisions. These include a proviso that players must be competing on a level playing field, and that no wagering is done by non-players, or by any means other than the mechanisms of the game itself (so no side betting). Furthermore, the house or host must receive no rake or other consideration for running the game, for example by virtue of selling drinks to players.

The game in question must not be a form of book-keeping, so sport betting is out. The players must all be of legal age, and the event must be in a truly private space such as a home, and not in a public place such as a beach or a park, nor a venue such as a bar, hotel or restaurant.

A range of bills proposing extension, or more accurately, creation of state regulated gambling have been brought forward, but so far none of these have gained much traction in the state legislature, mostly being listed as “failed upon adjournment”.

Is Online Gambling Legal in Hawaii?

What with the forest fire of political change viz a viz gambling in mainland US spreading slowly but surely across many state lines, ignited by New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware, one might wonder if the spark might leap across the water to Hawaii. So far, there have been a few fitful flames but nothing has taken hold and really burned.

The latest bill to doggy paddle in the senate is SB 768, proposing a Hawaii lottery and gaming corporation for the regulation of online gambling. This was introduced in January 2013 but shows no signs of getting anywhere at this time.

The full bill can be viewed here [1], for anyone interested in torturing themselves with a lot of legal language that is sadly unlikely to become enshrined in actual law. The bill proposes that most of the revenue from said gaming be channeled into education, and problem gambling support.

State legislators just don’t see support for such bills in the house, or in the general population. With over 30 bills on this subject currently seeking attention [2], it seems unlikely that any of them will actually reach the Governor’s desk.

As this recent poll from a local newspaper [3] suggests, the majority of residents seem to be opposed to bringing in land-based casinos to Hawaii, while there’s a fairly even split on attitudes towards casino ships and a state lottery.

A recent study into the likely impact of casinos on Hawaii [4] concludes that for every $64 of benefit to the economy, there would be an estimated $289 in social costs. The report also notes, fairly damningly, that a casino’s presence is empirically proven to lead to higher rates of “serious crime including rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, and auto theft.”

The local press tend to support an active debate on this subject, with proponents given equal space to voice their views in this 2002 edition of the Star Bulletin [5], and a more recent article featuring public comments run in 2011 by Honolulu’s Civil Beat [6].

Forms of Gambling Legalized in the State of Hawaii

Honestly, your best bet is to head down the beach, enjoy life, and then head over to Vegas on vacation. If that’s just not good enough, you have a very few options open to you within the law.

Poker Games

Your main option is going to be social home poker games. Just be sure not to attend a game in a bar or on a beach, but only in a genuinely private location. If the house isn’t taking any consideration, you should be acting within the law in playing.

There are a number of resources for tracking these games, including two dedicated home poker websites with links to individual games in Hawaii.

A local version of the same initiative can be found here [7], known as the Waikele Poker Players’ Group. A regular free roll event run online for Hawaii players is called the Hawaii Poker Championship, and the site for this outfit can be found here [8].

Despite the apparently high production values, a Hawaii TV show which aired in 2010 called “Hawaii’s Big Deal”[9] running televised satellites to the WSOP only ran for one series. Perhaps someone should try to revive this show, and bring some more positive poker publicity to the islands.

Your final option which seems to be within the law is to hire a “casino party” company, who will come and fill your private party with Vegas-accurate gambling equipment, which of course you are explicitly only allowed to run play money games on. Any use of such equipment for real gambling is naturally totally against the law.

Is There Legal Gambling In Hawaii Oahu

Casino Ships

You’d think, as in some other tightly regulated states for gambling, that there might be some cruise ships one could sail out on into international waters to take part in some gambling. But you would be sadly mistaken.

According to Hawaii Revised Statute 712-1222.5 (2009) quoted in this document by Gaming Law Masters , “Managing, supervising, controlling, operating, or owning, either alone or in association with others, any craft which embarks from any point within the State, and disembarks at the same or another point within the State, during which the person intentionally causes or knowingly permits gambling activity to be conducted, whether within or without the waters of the State…” is, you guessed it, illegal.

So it’s no-go on casino ships too, unless they’re passing through Hawaii, picking up people from the islands, and then heading out into international waters, and dropping off visitors at some other location out-of-state. This is hardly likely, or convenient! For those still interested in pursuing this remote possibility, a couple of discussions on the subject can be found on cruise liner websites here [10] and here [11].

Busts And Arrests

Of course in a state with such very strict suppression of gambling, there’s a pretty active underground which has seen a peppering of significant busts across recent years.

Let’s start things off with this kid’s Youtube video [12] of a visit to an underground casino in Hawaii, which apart from the amusing advice he exchanges with his friend about changing games because they’ve “already won a couple of times” on a given virtual slot, does illustrate that the underground casino industry is active, although the footage doesn’t really suggest it to be thriving. The machine in question took dollar bills, and the footage was uploaded in June 2013.
Arcade employees are regularly arrested and machines seized in busts such as this series of arrests [13] which took place in Aiea, Kalihi and Keeaumoku in February of 2013.

Depressing stories do exist such as this piece in Civil Beat [14], which interviews teenagers who think they are “learning” to beat slot machines, which obviously generally have a large house edge and are unbeatable and unskilful forms of gaming. The proprietors claim that the games in this article are “skill based”, but no clear evidence is put forward in this document for such claims.

Of most concern to those interested in online wagering, there has been an increasing trend across Hawaii for busting individuals for online gambling, principally focused on sports betting. In some cases such as that of Terrence Ching, the arrest is for book-making and placing online bets on behalf of numerous other individuals, while in other cases, individuals who simply got very lucky online [15] have found the police rapping on their door.

Summary of Hawaii State Gambling Laws

Is There Legal Gambling In Hawaii Resorts

If you’re looking to gamble within the law in Hawaii, you have very few real options open to you.

You can partake in home poker games which stay within the provisions laid out for them under the law, most importantly that no house rake or consideration is taken. To find these games, consult the home poker networks and discussions listed above.

You may be able to play certain skill-based amusement machines run in the state, but it’s far from clear how long these will survive under the law, or whether they truly qualify as skill games.

You can run a “Vegas style” casino party with strictly no real money wagering allowed, and play to your hearts’ content with play money.

That’s about your lot.

So if you’re in Hawaii and want to gamble, aside from home games your best bet is really to head for the mainland, at least for a little while. The beaches will still be here when you get back.

Sources for this article

1. Meetup.com: Waikele Poker Players Group
2. HawaiiPokerChampionship.com: Hawaii Online Poker Championship
3. HonoluluPulse.com: In the Mix: ‘Hawaii’s Big Deal’