Hawaii Gambling Bill Sent To Governor David Ige’s Office

• Hawaii has a casino gaming bill in the hands of the Governor, hoping for passage for the 2021 legislative package.
• The proposal would allow limited legal gambling locations at properties owned by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL), with the first being in Kapolei.
• Pending the Governor’s approval, the legislation would also need to be passed in the House and Senate of the Hawaii State Legislature.

HONOLULU - The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) would be able to offer gambling at their properties with a new bill proposal that has been sent to Governor David Ige’s office.

With a 5-4 vote providing a slim victory in making it to this step, the majority of the Hawaiian Homes Commission (HHC) was in favor of allowing a potential casino operation to open in the city of Kapolei through this proposal.

Should the bill receive passage without amendments by the Governor, the majority of revenue is earmarked for the DHHL as they are short almost $200 million in their budget and are looking for new outlets like limited legal gambling to help bridge this large financial gap.

“With the Commission’s decision today (12/22/2020), we are hopeful that the Hawaii State Legislature will see the urgency of finally addressing the funding shortages of this program,” said Tyler Iokepa Gomes, a DHHL Deputy. “The measure the Department is proposing is bold, but we’re at a pivotal point where bold action is necessary to fulfill the responsibility of the trust.”

Why The Time Is Now And What’s To Come For Hawaii’s Legal Gambling Scene

Even before it’s been given a chance for consideration by Governor Ige, the bill has already received a large amount of opposition. There are two sides to everything and many believe that the HHC should focus on housing for the people of Hawaii rather than opening a casino.

However, the HHC says their attention is always on what is in the best interest of the people, and getting housing for them is still very much the goal. Making gambling legal will enable them to do this because, at this point in time, they do not have the proper funds to help Hawaiians in need of shelter.

Not only will legalizing gambling in Hawaii through this measure give the HHC funds to continue their work, but it’s also great timing because 2021 is not an election year, and waiting until 2022 would change that.

It is also believed that by 2022, Las Vegas operators will seek to stop Hawaii from opening up casinos, causing a whole other mountain of issues to tackle in the future for any gaming industry within the Aloha State. The time is now because the path to legalization is clear in 2021 and the pros outweigh the cons when looking at it from a standpoint that the funds will help the HHC to continue to do their job in helping the Hawaiian people.

“This is an opportunity to rescue ourselves,” said William Aila, Chairman of the HHC. “We stand at the precipice today to make a difference for future generations.”

Aila was the tiebreaking vote that helped move the bill to the Governor’s office. The bill will now face Governor Ige and would be added to the 2021 legislative package if approved. It will then need to receive final passage by the House and Senate of the Hawaii State Legislature before it could become an official law.