The Aloha State Introduces Legalized Gambling Bill

Hawaii and Utah are the only U.S. states without any form of legal gambling. But Utah may soon find itself alone in that sad category. A new bill co-sponsored by three Hawaii lawmakers would allow a Hawaii Internet lottery to run an online gambling operation that would include, among other things, poker!

The bill, known as HB2422, reads in part: "To protect Hawaii residents who gamble on the internet, and to capture revenues generated from internet gambling in Hawaii, it is in the best interest of the State and its citizens to regulate this existing activity by authorizing and implementing a secure, responsible, and legal system for internet gambling. The State’s interests are best met by doing so through an internet-only lottery and gaming corporation, which shall be a public instrumentality, operating for the sole benefit of the State, and accountable to the legislature and to the public through a system of audits and reports."

Hawaii is not alone in its decision to consider expanding gambling operations into the realm of online poker. The list of states exploring the possibility of state-run online poker rooms has been growing rapidly ever since The Department of Justice flip-flopped on its interpretation of The Wire Act of 1961, applying it, once again, only to online sports betting.