Vegas Offers Advice as Hawaii Ponders Legalizing Sports Betting
Jesse M. Cox Published 11/11/2026
Legislators in Hawaii extended invitations to gambling experts from Las Vegas as the Aloha State continues to consider the legalization of sports betting. Late last month, gambling industry experts from Las Vegas met with Hawaii’s Tourism and Gaming Working Group and lawmakers in Waikiki. The purpose of these sessions was so that Hawaii lawmakers could learn the nuances, economic benefits, and public health responsibilities that are associated with legal and regulated gambling.
The working group will be preparing its findings from these fact-finding missions. They will share that data with state lawmakers when Hawaii's upcoming legislative session gets underway on January 20, 2027.
Vegas shows Hawaii how it all works
What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas. However, if what Vegas has to show Hawaii in the ways of the gambling world happens to work to get sports betting legalized in the Aloha State, the pro-gambling forces in Hawaii will happily share the credit.
If you wanted to learn about growing corn, you'd call Nebraska. Should you want tips on how to erect safely constructed skyscrapers, you'd likely be dialing up the folks who run New York.
Hawaii wanted to know everything there is to know about the pros and cons of legalized gambling. Naturally, they called Las Vegas.
Representatives of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce extolled the virtues and potential pitfalls of the so-called fun economy - sports betting, tourism, entertainment, and casino gambling - and how it can fit safely and productively into Hawaii's ecosystem.
Successful legalized gambling is all about the economy
That was the point that Las Vegas civic leaders made the emphasis of their presentation to Hawaii lawmakers.
“It’s very encouraging to hear that it’s not necessarily gambling itself," Sherry Menor, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii President/CEO, told Honolulu TV station KHON2. "It’s a more broader economic development issue and how that can stimulate our economy and make our economy much more resilient.”
To enjoy the benefits of a successful legal and regulated gambling industry, Hawaiians must first figure out what types of gambling will fit best into the state's economy.
The state's Tourism and Gaming Working Group has been discussing this issue since it was formed a year ago. They are looking at legalized gambling from all avenues. That list includes sports betting, the lottery, and brick-and-mortar casinos. Top priorities in these discussions are how legalized gambling will be of benefit to Hawaii's economy, and how the state can best prepare to deal with the negatives that come with legalized gambling, such as addiction issues.
“Supporting local here so the revenue can stay and help the people, the community, social services and everything else, that we tend to – and I’ll say this – continue to hit our businesses that are really struggling and have been closing every day,” said Hawaii state Senator Lynn DeCoite. She serves as Chair of the Tourism & Gaming Working Group.
“How does the state help? We can’t help them if the revenue stream is not there. And if addiction is there, it’s a revenue stream that we can help to treat.”
Multiple bills seeking to legalize sports betting or casino gambling resorts have been put in front of the state legislature. Recent attempts include House Bill 1308 and HB 1815. Both met with failure when considered by state lawmakers.
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