Hawaii is one of the newest and smallest additions to the United States, and for many people might as well be a foreign country due to its extreme distance away from the mainland. With that being said, Hawaiian residents do not need to feel isolated when it comes to playing their favorite casino games, because that can be done with little to no effort whatsoever. The legal status of gambling in the state is something that raises a few eyebrows, but is fairly easy to understand when you take a few moments.
Though it may seem difficult to believe, the state of Hawaii has never really been all that open to gambling. Not only does the state lack a lottery system and bingo games, there is not one, single land-based casino, nor has there ever been. Up until very recently, playing casino games could only be done so long as you were playing at an online site accepting deposits from Hawaiian residents. Nowadays, however, gambling in the state has been made a great deal easier.
What Are The Best Hawaii Real Money Gambling Sites?
Is Online Gambling Legal in Hawaii?
In recent years, state lawmakers have tried time and time again to legalize and regulate an intrastate gambling system much like what exists in New Jersey and Nevada. So far, these efforts have been in vain seeing as there still exists absolutely no regulated, legalized online gambling system.
In the absence of an intrastate system, you might think that there are no gambling options whatsoever. Hawaii is so disconnected from the rest of the country and such a hotspot for tourists, you would think that casinos would be present at each and every hotel and resort. Places in the Caribbean have made similar moves and have seen a huge revenue boost from the existence of full casinos at their resorts.
The reality, however, is that an abundant quantity of online casinos offer their services to residents of the state of Hawaii.
The laws of the state do not forbid online casinos from catering to residents, and that is exactly how Hawaiians have been finding games for some time now. If you are wondering whether these sites are licensed and regulated, most of them are. Even though they may not be based in Hawaii and may not be licensed by the state government, most reputable casinos that are able to operate within the state are fully licensed and regulated.
Of all the states that are considering the establishment of an intrastate betting system, Hawaii is at the forefront and is expected to have on established before long. This would allow for a regulated and legalized system of online casino play, something that does not exist at the present moment in time. This would not only allow for citizens of the state to gamble, but also for diehard gamblers that might be travelling from the Lower 48. All in all, it seems as though it is only a matter of time until Hawaii takes advantage of what seems like a glaring opportunity to bring in more cash for the state.
Legal Status of Brick and Mortar Casinos — Hawaii
Hawaii is like so many other states that have absolutely no brick and mortar casino presence whatsoever, Taking things a step further, Hawaii does not even allow for casino games to be played at horse/dog tracks. While there are so many people who are hoping this will change, the fact of the matter is that to gamble in Hawaii, you either need to hop on a cruise ship, or fly to Las Vegas. Whether you believe it or not, there is a native population all over Hawaii.
In other states across the US, Native American tribes have lobbied to offer casinos on their own, sovereign land and have succeeded. In Hawaii, however, that much has not yet happened and does not seem like it is going to happen anytime soon. In all reality, it is looking much more like legalized online casino play will become a reality far before any brick and mortar casinos are established.
This is a very unfortunate situation, but also one that has helped the online casino industry thrive. Being a very small state as far as land mass is concerned, there isn’t very many places for casinos to be erected, but with such a large tourist presence year in and year out, it seems as though the state is missing out on quite a few revenue dollars by not allowing live gambling at casinos. Still, it is not worth getting too worked up over seeing as it is highly unlikely brick and mortar casinos will ever be able to be established in the state.
If you keep up with the state’s trending political topics, you will see that brick and mortar casinos are not anywhere near the top of that list. It seems as though the small island nation has much bigger things to concern itself with. With that being said, the establishment of at least a few online casinos might bring in millions and millions of dollars of additional revenue for the state.
Hawaii Online Casinos & Gambling FAQ
- Abbreviation: HI
- State Motto: The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.
- Capital City: Honolulu
- Population Estimate: 1.4 million (40th)
- Website: https://www.hawaii.gov/
How can I upload funds to a new player account?
After you have finished signing up and creating an account, the next step is to fund a player account. In most cases, this can be done in a few different ways, but the 2 most popular are by making a deposit by way of debit/credit card or bank transfer. Every site’s deposit options vary, but these are the two you will see most often.
Do I need to download anything to my computer?
This is something that heavily depends on the site which you are playing at. Some online casinos force you to download their software in order to play games, while others are able to operate within a web browser. Some sites even offer players the option to either download software or play within their browser.
Should I be worried about shady online casinos?
So long as you do some research and ensure that you are only playing at sites with solid reputations, there should be no worries with regard to your personal and financial information’s safety. With that being said, however, there still exist some unscrupulous characters out there who are looking to scam you out of your hard-earned money. For this reason, doing your research is paramount.
How far away is a regulated intrastate online casino system?
The answer to this is anything but straightforward. Hawaiian lawmakers are constantly trying to pass legislation that would establish an intrastate network of online casinos operators, but so far very little progress has been made. Though many feel as though an intrastate system is just around the corner, that much is almost impossible to weigh in on with any amount of confidence.