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A Hawaii House panel advanced a bill on Wednesday that would open the door to statewide online sports betting, even as most of the public testimony submitted to lawmakers argued the state should not think about gambling expansion yet.
The House Committee on Economic Development & Technology heard from dozens of opponents and a smaller group of supporters before voting to move HB 2570 along. One industry report put the testimony count at 41 opposing and 11 supporting, with several submissions filed without live remarks.
A split vote and “yes, but…” support inside the room
HB 2570 did not cruise through. The committee vote was divided, and even some “yes” votes came with caveats. Rep. Daniel Holt backed the bill, but made clear he wasn’t brought into the version the committee was working from, telling colleagues he “was not consulted.”
Legislative tracking also shows the bill’s hearing date and that it advanced with amendments, underscoring that this is still a moving target rather than a finished product.
What HB 2570 is trying to build
As drafted and described publicly so far, the proposal aims to set up a regulated online-only market, with at least six licenses, a tax rate set at 15%, and high entry costs that are meant to keep the field limited. Industry coverage has described a $500,000 five-year licensing fee and a similar renewal amount.
The bill summary also points to a problem gambling prevention and treatment fund administered through the Department of Health, along with a licensing and oversight role for state government.
Opposition focused on harm, culture, and trust in enforcement
The most consistent argument from opponents was that legal sports betting would change daily life in Hawaii in ways that don’t fit the state’s values. Some testimony leaned on personal experience with addiction and financial fallout.
Honolulu prosecutor Steve Alm pressed lawmakers on what he sees as the downside of normalizing sports betting. He warned that betting is already “tarnishing sports,” argued it hits lower-income residents harder, and cited research he said shows 96% of bettors lose, raising his concern that the state would be profiting from addiction.
Prediction markets became the side fight lawmakers couldn’t ignore
Even though HB 2570 is a sports betting bill, prediction markets kept coming up. Stop Predatory Gambling’s Les Bernal challenged the idea that major sportsbook brands are reliable partners, arguing that some companies are already using prediction-style products to get around state restrictions elsewhere. He called that an “antithesis” to Hawaii’s values.
Supporters linked to the Sports Betting Alliance leaned on a different point: betting is already happening, money is already leaving the state, and regulated operators can layer in tools like deposit and time limits.
Where this goes next is political as much as procedural. The bill is moving, but the hearing made one thing obvious: Hawaii’s sports betting argument is now tied to a wider question about what counts as gambling in 2026—especially when event contracts and other trading-style products sit right next door.
