Hawaii sports betting

Is sports betting legal in Hawaii?

No. Trackers of state gambling law list Hawaii as a holdout on all regulated online gambling and record sports betting as not legal, with no launch year. There's no retail sportsbook in Honolulu, no betting app licensed for the islands and no gaming agency that could issue a license.

Hawaii's gambling offenses sit in Chapter 712 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, starting at section 712-1220. The exact wording of those sections couldn't be confirmed for this page, so we don't summarize penalties. The Hawaii gambling laws page sets out every form of gambling in the state.

Murphy v. NCAA: why Hawaii could legalize sports betting

Until 2018, a federal law called PASPA barred most states from authorizing sports betting. In Murphy v. NCAA (opens in a new tab), decided May 14, 2018, the Supreme Court held 6-3, in an opinion by Justice Alito, that PASPA's ban on states authorizing sports gambling violated the Constitution's anticommandeering rule. No part of the law was severable, so all of it fell.

The ruling didn't legalize anything. It returned the choice to each state legislature. Many states have since passed sports betting laws; Hawaii has not, so its existing gambling code still governs. Our PASPA and Murphy v. NCAA explainer covers the case in depth.

The Wire Act and Hawaii sports betting

The Wire Act, 18 U.S.C. 1084 (opens in a new tab), applies to a person engaged in the business of betting who knowingly uses wire communications to transmit interstate or foreign bets, or betting information, on sporting events or contests. Its text is aimed at operators, not individual bettors.

Its reach has shifted. A 2011 Justice Department opinion limited the Act to sports; a 2018 opinion said most of it reaches non-sports betting too. On January 20, 2021, the First Circuit held in New Hampshire Lottery Commission v. Rosen (opens in a new tab) that the Act's prohibitions apply only to bets on sporting events or contests. A later letter from state attorneys general said that ruling directly binds the Justice Department only as to the parties in that case.

Either way, sports betting is squarely inside the Wire Act. An offshore business taking sports bets from Hawaii falls under federal rules aimed at operators, and the Illegal Gambling Business Act adds a separate offense for gambling businesses that break state law. See our Wire Act page for the full history.

Offshore sports betting sites and Hawaii players

With no legal market, Hawaii bettors who search for odds find offshore sites. Those sites are licensed abroad, if at all, and no Hawaii or other US state regulator oversees them. That means no state review of odds rules, settlement disputes or withheld balances, and nobody in Hawaii to complain to.

Regulators in licensing states do act against them. Michigan's Gaming Control Board has issued repeated cease-and-desist rounds against offshore gambling sites, including, as trade press reported, BetOnline.ag and SportsBetting.ag in April 2025. Its April 9, 2025 release (opens in a new tab) named 13 unlicensed sites, among them two of our casino partners, Silver Oak and Planet 7.

Federal payment law adds friction. The UIGEA bars betting businesses from accepting cards, transfers and checks for bets that are unlawful where they're placed, which is one reason cards are often declined. Read are offshore casinos safe before depositing anywhere.

Daily fantasy, prediction markets and federal bills

The status of paid daily fantasy sports in Hawaii couldn't be confirmed from available sources, so we don't state it. Our daily fantasy sports laws page explains how states classify those contests.

At federal level, the debate has moved to prediction markets that list contracts on sporting events. A Congressional Research Service report dated August 17, 2026 lists bills such as the Prediction Markets Are Gambling Act, which would bar sports and casino-style contracts on CFTC-regulated exchanges and preserve state law, and the SAFE Bet Act of 2025, which would set federal standards for state-regulated sports betting. CRS lists none of the prediction-market bills as enacted. Whether any such product is lawful in Hawaii isn't settled here; see prediction markets.

If Hawaii legalized sports betting: what a licensed app would need

No bill is confirmed for 2026, but other states show the pieces a legal market would need: a statute, a regulator, a list of licensed operators and a minimum age. The UIGEA itself excludes intrastate wagers authorized by state law only when age and location verification are in place.

1. Hawaii's legislature would pass a law authorizing sports wagering and naming or creating a regulator.
2. That regulator would write rules and license operators, publishing a list of approved brands.
3. Licensed apps would verify age and confirm each bettor is inside Hawaii before accepting a wager.
4. The law would set a minimum betting age, which Hawaii has never had to define.
5. Bettors would gain a state complaint route and regulated settlement rules.

Until those steps happen, no app can be a legal Hawaii sportsbook. Compare where each state stands on is sports betting legal in my state and gambling age by state.

Taxes on sports betting winnings for Hawaii residents

Winnings from any source, including offshore books, are taxable federal income. The IRS W-2G instructions (opens in a new tab) treat sports and other wagering wins as reportable for 2026 payments when they reach $2,000 and at least 300 times the wager. Regular gambling withholding of 24% applies where those winnings, minus the wager, exceed $5,000.

The first bet produces no form, but its winnings are still taxable income. Offshore sites may not issue a W-2G or withhold tax, and the winnings are reportable either way, so your own records matter. From the 2026 tax year, the loss deduction is reported to be capped at 90% of losses and only up to winnings; check IRS guidance. Hawaii income tax isn't covered here, so ask a tax professional and see gambling taxes.

Help for Hawaii sports bettors

Betting on every game can creep up fast, especially on a phone. No Hawaii state problem gambling program was found, so the National Problem Gambling Helpline (opens in a new tab) is the place to start: call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738), free and confidential, 24/7. In a crisis, call or text 988.

Blocking apps can stop access to betting sites on your devices, and Gamblers Anonymous runs in-person and online meetings. See our national helpline guide and chasing losses for practical next steps.

Casino offers shown to Hawaii sports betting readers

None of our partners runs a sportsbook; Silver Oak and Planet 7 are RealTime Gaming casino sites, so no live partner fits a sports betting page. We show them for readers who want to compare casino offers, and they don't take the place of a licensed sportsbook. Both are offshore and not licensed by Hawaii or any US state, and both were named by the Michigan Gaming Control Board on April 9, 2025. Check Hawaii law before you sign up. Offers are for new players aged 21+ (18+ where allowed), terms apply, and we earn a commission on a commercial ranking.

Silver Oak Casino: $2,500 Welcome Bonus + 50 Free Spins, via our link (new players, 21+ or 18+ where allowed, terms apply). The casino's own site advertises a different package: $10,000 as a 100% match on each of the first ten deposits with codes SILVEROAK1 to SILVEROAK10 and no free spins. Its offer page says 30x playthrough (60x on blackjack and video poker) and no max withdrawal, while its terms say 40x on slots and 60x on table games and video poker; deposits start at $30. Silver Oak is the only partner that publishes its license: Primrose Media Limited, licensed in Anjouan. See the Silver Oak review.

Planet 7 Casino: $2,750 Welcome Bonus + 45 Free Spins, via our link (new players, 21+ or 18+ where allowed, terms apply). Third-party reviews report a 200% match with code WELCOME200 at 30x deposit plus bonus on slots and a $1,000 max cashout per LCB, with card deposits from $30. AskGamblers reports a Costa Rica license, while LCB and Casino Guru report none, and reported withdrawal caps differ ($2,500 a week per LCB and Casino Guru versus 2,500 euros a day per AskGamblers). See the Planet 7 review.

Both bonuses are slot-focused, with table games often excluded or weighted lower. The house edge means losses are likely over time.

21+ (18+ where allowed). Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: responsible gambling tools and free help. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738).