Online sports betting in Hawaii

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Hawaii is one of just two states that completely prohibits all forms of gambling, including, of course, online sports betting. In fact, Utah and Hawaii are the only two states without any type of legalized gambling. This means that all gaming establishments, including bingo halls, state lotteries, and sportsbooks, are illegal.

That doesn’t mean online sports betting in Hawaii has not been considered. There were attempts to allow online sports betting in Hawaii in 2019 and 2020, but neither campaign received significant support. However, as more and more states legalize online gambling, Hawaii might follow suit in the future.

Online sports betting is not legal in Hawaii. Attempts to legalize it have been made, but there hasn’t been much backing. When Hawaii will authorize sports wagering in any manner is currently unknown, however, it would seem inevitable that any enabling legislation will include internet sports betting.

It would be challenging to establish a retail sports betting environment in Hawaii at present because there is no gambling allowed at all. Many of the states that have legalized online sports betting, require the online site to partner with a physical land-based retail site. However, online sports betting in Hawaii might gain the most from a Tennessee-style system, which is exclusively available online and doesn’t require any kind of connection to a physical location.

Best online sports betting sites in Hawaii

There are currently no legal betting options for sportsbooks in Hawaii since there is absolutely no legal gambling in the state. However, there are several sportsbooks that already accept bets in the various US states where online sports betting has been legalized. It is highly likely that should online gambling become legal in Hawaii, these gaming websites will be among the first to move into the Aloha state. So, here we’ll take a look at what you can expect from some of these top sites.

PointsBet Hawaii

A sportsbook requires a powerful mobile app to stand out in a market that is getting more crowded by the day, and PointsBet has pulled off the extraordinary task of winning over both iOS and Android consumers. Based on more than 25,000 reviews, PointsBet Sportsbook has a stellar rating of 4.8 out of 5. That points to the app’s continued appeal among the broader sports betting population and is among the greatest ratings of any American-based sports betting website. And based on roughly 7,000 reviews, it has achieved an amazing 4.7 rating on Google Play, demonstrating that it is almost as well-liked among Android users. The site itself offers a wide array of betting markets on a variety of sports as well as the innovative Pointsbetting and Name Your Bet features. PointsBet will most likely be a hit in Hawaii once sports betting goes legal.

BetRivers Hawaii

With great odds to enhance, BetRivers’ sign-up offer and betting markets are competitive with those of other well-regarded bookies. BetRivers receives praise for its live streaming function and incredibly user-friendly mobile software. The site’s main strength is the BetRivers sportsbook app, which has every feature top-notch sports betting software ought to have. Additionally, there are excellent customer service options and the staff is knowledgeable, skilled, and friendly. Although there are many positive aspects of BetRivers, there is always room for development.

BetMGM Hawaii

For good reason, BetMGM is one of the top betting sites in the market. For casual, everyday sports enthusiasts, it provides one of the top betting platforms in the United States. Typically, it provides accessible and continuing incentives that are interesting to bettors and easy to take advantage of. The BetMGM live betting platform is comparable to that of rivals like Caesars and FanDuel. In addition to its sportsbook selection, BetMGM has given careful thought to its online poker and casino offerings. This makes it a one-stop shop for those who want to play for entertainment purposes alone, without making a sizable financial commitment. Fans of horse racing now have one more reason to play here with the inclusion of an online racebook, especially those who are impatiently waiting for their states to legalize online sports betting. Overall, BetMGM is a top-tier sportsbook for the typical sports enthusiast.

FanDuel Hawaii

Right now, the top betting website in America is FanDuel. And it has largely earned that position thanks to its strong brand recognition, user-friendly software, massive market share for North America’s most popular sports, and presence in all states where legal sports betting is allowed. All things considered, new sports bettors will especially like how simple the site is to use and how many betting market options there are. This is especially true for those who are already familiar with the daily fantasy sports product offered by this igaming behemoth. FanDuel is a popular choice for most bettors, even though more seasoned gamblers may find reasons to object (among them, FanDuel’s perplexing decisions regarding bet limits).

DraftKings Hawaii

One of the best qualities is availability, and DraftKings Sportsbook is a prime example of this. In 18 states, it is acceptable for players to legally download the DraftKings mobile app, register for an account, and immediately claim bonuses. Regarding general ubiquity, the Boston-based sports betting operator, originally best-known as a DFS site, is closely followed by keen rival FanDuel. Users may tap, slide, and use its free mobile apps for iOS and Android with relative ease despite its somewhat complicated and crowded layout. Due mostly to the range of features offered, DraftKings also takes the top spot on our list of the top sports betting apps for 2022. In the end, DraftKings makes it simple to locate the markets you want to bet on.

Opening an account in Hawaii for sports betting

Although gambling is prohibited in Hawaii, legal retail and/or online sports betting may soon become available there. When the time comes to start sports betting in Hawaii, here’s how locals and visitors can get started and register an account:

  1. Choose a betting site that meets your needs from our list of Hawaii betting sites — When evaluating a betting site, Hawaii sports bettors should examine odds, betting menus, sign-up incentives, upcoming promotions, and banking choices. Visiting Hawaii sports betting websites or installing mobile apps is a terrific place to start if and when online betting is made possible. You can check out our list of the top online sports betting sites in Hawaii to pick a betting site that best suits your needs.
  2. Create an account with your personal details — Once you have chosen your preferred site, you’ll need to create an account by entering your personal information. In Hawaii, creating an account should be simple. The procedure only takes a few minutes and calls for a valid form of identification, such as a driver’s license as well as a social security number, evidence of residency, and the ability to fund an account.
  3. Choose your preferred payment method — You will be shown the payment options accepted by the betting site you selected after registering your account. Choose your preferred payment method at this point. Make sure the payment option you select is simple and preferably can be used for both deposits and withdrawals so it won’t cause you any problems down the line. Common payment methods include debit cards, e-wallets like PayPal, eChecks, and credit cards.
  4. Make a real-money deposit — You will now use the selected payment option to make your first deposit in real money. Make sure that you abide by any minimum and maximum deposit limits for your chosen sportsbook and payment method.
  5. Place your bets online — You should now make your first wager. There are various rules and betting possibilities in each state where sports betting is legal. Although it’s unclear what types of wagers will be permitted in Hawaii, it’s safe to presume popular wagers like Moneyline, Over/Unders (totals), point spreads, and props will be among the choices. Hawaii bettors will be better off if they make sure that every wager is clear to them and has been thoroughly investigated. Finding your bet, putting it on the bet slip, and confirming your choice are all you need to do to place a wager.

At this point, it is unclear how the state would regulate sports betting and HI betting apps in specific terms. They haven’t even thought about the kinds of controls they would implement because they are still very early in their research into the potential of this kind of gaming. When sports betting becomes legal in Hawaii, it is also unknown which sports will be offered; however, the following are possible candidates:

  • Baseball — Baseball is a nine-player team sport played with a bat, a ball, and gloves on a diamond-shaped field with four white bases. Teams switch roles as fielders (defense) and batters (offense) when three players on the batting team are “put out.” Players attempt to knock the ball beyond the fielding team’s grasp when at bat in order to score a “run” by going all the way around the bases. The winning team is the one with the most runs scored over the course of nine innings. From 1961 to 1987, the Hawaii Islanders, a Triple-A baseball team in the Pacific Coast League with their home field in Honolulu, Hawaii, competed for 27 seasons. The Islanders played their home games at Honolulu Stadium, Aloha Stadium, and Les Murakami Stadium when they were a Kansas City Athletics affiliate. The Islanders, one of the best minor league clubs, struggled and eventually relocated to the mainland as the Colorado Springs Sky Sox in 1988.
  • Football — American football is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team in possession of the ball, must attempt to advance down the field. They can do this by running or passing with the oval-shaped ball. Meanwhile, the defense must try to stop them and take control of the ball for themselves. The offense must move forward at least ten yards over the course of four plays, or “downs”. If they fail, the ball is turned over to the opposition, but if they succeed, they get a new set of four downs and an attempt to continue their drive. The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors are a football team that competes in the Pac-12 Conference, giving them a chance to go to the College Football Playoff. Waging on college football in Hawaii at any offshore betting site is legal.
  • Soccer — A squad of 11 players competes against another team of 11 players in the team sport of soccer on a field. There are 10 outfield players and one goalkeeper on the team. The majority of outfielders specialize in either attacking, defending, or both. Typically, a team will have defenders, midfielders, and forwards, though players can move about the field of play as they like. While most of the rest of the world refers to it as football, soccer is the name given to it in North America. A Honolulu-based soccer team named Team Hawaii competed in the NASL in 1977 for one season. Aloha Stadium was their home field. The team relocated to Hawaii in preparation for the 1977 season after two failed years as the San Antonio Thunder. Hubert Vogelsinger was the team’s first coach, but after getting sick in the middle of the season, Charlie Mitchell took over and served as a player-coach for the rest of the year. Hawaii had an 11-15 record on the field and was unable to make the playoffs; yet, the club never even came close to selling out their 50,000-seat stadium.
  • Basketball — Basketball is a game that is often played indoors between two teams of five players each. By attempting to hurl the ball through the opposing team’s goal, an elevated horizontal hoop and net known as a basket, each team attempts to score. Although basketball is traditionally a winter sport, it is played year-round, frequently informally between two or more players, on summer playgrounds, in municipal, industrial, and religious halls, in school yards and drives, and in summer camps. The University of Hawai’i at Manoa’s basketball team, the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, competes in NCAA men’s basketball. The school’s female sports teams are referred to as the Rainbow Wahine. After departing its former home of the Western Athletic Conference in July 2012, the club now competes in the Big West Conference.
  • Hockey — Hockey is a sport played on an ice rink between two teams, each of which has six players. The purpose of the game is to get the puck, a vulcanized rubber disk, beyond the goal line and into the goalie’s net. Ice hockey has grown to be one of the most well-liked sports worldwide due to its speed and frequent physical contact. There are more than a million registered players participating regularly in leagues worldwide in this Olympic sport. While no men have ever played hockey professionally in Hawaii, one woman has. The sole professional hockey player from Hawaii to date was Jessica Koizumi who won a gold medal at the 2008 IIHF Women’s World Championships as part of the US National women’s team.

Tips when betting on sports in Hawaii

Millions of sports fans will be looking to enter the betting industry for the first time when online sports betting finally goes legal in Hawaii. But if you’re not familiar with the lingo, where do you start? Here is a guide on how to bet on sports with tips that any novice should know.

  • Only bet on sports you have good knowledge of — Before making a decision, make sure to do research on the sports you want to wager on, so you are aware of all the options. In order to choose a sport to bet on and know which teams are the best picks and will give you your money’s worth, you need to have a solid understanding of the sports you want to bet on.
  • Take advantage of bonus offers — While large incentives are frequently the best, we have also seen those that seemed too good to be true. Prior to accepting any sportsbook bonus, be careful to review the rollover conditions. When placing sports bets, you must take advantage of all bonus offers because they can benefit you. They can provide you with free funds to wager with, eliminating the need to risk your own money.
  • Build up a bankroll — You ultimately decide how much money you want to spend on a game, but a good rule is to never risk more than you can afford to lose. When it comes to gambling, there will be good and bad days. Therefore, a flat-betting strategy is advised. This entails placing a fixed wager on each game and putting only 1%–5% of your bankroll at risk with each play (the bankroll is the starting amount you have at your disposal to bet with). If your starting bankroll is $100, for instance, you shouldn’t wager more than $5 per game. A flat-betting strategy protects bettors from blowing their whole bankroll during a losing streak while simultaneously positioning them for a profitable return on investment (ROI) when things are going well.
  • Make sure to be aware of the rules for bonuses and betting — No matter what bonuses you are using or bets you are placing, you need to know the dos and don’ts. Knowing the betting and bonus regulations will tremendously assist you in determining how to bet and which bonuses will benefit you the most.

Common payment methods at sports betting sites in Hawaii

There are many payment options for sports betting nowadays. Naturally, different betting sites support a variety of betting strategies. But generally speaking, some payment options would be preferred over others. These are justified by concerns about safety, advantages, and the overall usability of the payments. In light of that, let’s go through the top ways to pay for sports betting right now, so you’ll be prepared if or when Hawaii legalizes sports betting.

  • Mastercard — As you most likely already know, a Mastercard is just another type of debit card. You probably already have one of these cards because the majority of people use debit cards on a regular basis. If so, Mastercard enables you to rapidly make deposits without paying any fees. Numerous betting websites accept Mastercard. Actually, it’s more difficult to locate a betting site that doesn’t! However, while Mastercard can be easily used for deposits, many banks no longer accept withdrawals from gambling sites to a Mastercard, meaning that you’ll need an alternative option.
  • Venmo — Venmo enables you to send and receive money from your friends. At its foundation, Venmo offers a social alternative to using cash to pay your friends back when you owe them money. More recently, Venmo has made the move to commercial transactions allowing you to make purchases from licensed retailers and deposits on gaming sites.
  • VISA — Visa is an internationally recognized brand that offers both credit and debit cards. Using a Visa card truly has a lot of advantages. Deposits made with Visa are frequently eligible for bonuses, which is one of the major reasons we think it’s one of the top payment options for sports betting. Visa is also often accepted for withdrawals, putting it ahead of rival Mastercard.
  • Play+ — Play+ is a reloadable account backed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and is perhaps the most popular prepaid card used in the United States for gambling at casinos and sportsbooks. It is a payment method that allows you to fund your playing accounts at online casinos, betting websites, and their physical counterparts quickly, securely, and for free. Additionally, cashouts with Play+ are extremely speedy and usually cost nothing extra from the casino side. The entire account setup process is simple and straightforward.
  • Discover Card — Many of the most popular betting websites accept the Discover Card as a form of payment. Similar to PayPal, users of the Discover Card will need to provide basic banking information before they can access speedy deposits and withdrawals. On a number of reputable websites that frequently offer speedy payments and fantastic odds, sports bettors will have access to the initial deposit bonus.
  • American Express — American Express offers more than just credit cards, despite the fact that this is their most well-known offering. Players using an AMEX card for online sports betting in Hawaii will also earn reward points, making it an enticing option. You’ll also receive the same advantages for debit card payments as you do for MasterCard and Visa cards. At the great majority of betting sites, this includes being eligible for bonuses, making fast deposits, and paying no fees. Additionally, you can store your payment information to make future transactions simple.

The history of Hawaii sports betting

Since the time that Dutch missionaries believed that problem gambling was undermining the then-independent island nation, there has been opposition to gambing in Hawaii. Before Hawaiian Queen Lili’uokalani was overthrown in 1893, a measure allowing gambling was introduced. However, the new government quickly reinstated the state’s ban on gambling.

Sports betting is still illegal in Hawaii. In fact, Aloha State is one of only two states (the other being Utah) that does not allow any form of legal gambling. It is also one of the four US states to ban playing Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) games.

Every year, Hawaii loses out on about $11.7 million in revenue. Since the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) was overturned in 2018, six pieces of legislation have been introduced to legalize wagering or fund feasibility studies. The latest, Bill 1815 introduced in 2022, appeared to be a move in the right direction, even though the proposed tax rate of 55% was considerably higher than that of states like New York and Pennsylvania. However, that and every other Bill has been killed in committee.

It’s unlikely that politicians will allow the Aloha State to join the list of states that allow gambling any time soon, despite the allure of the tax revenue generated by gambling. However, while there is opposition to gambling as a whole, there has been some support for the legalization of online betting. In fact, online sports betting in Hawaii was initially legalized under HB 736, but while it was tabled until the 2022 legislative session for more discussion, it was ultimately dropped in favor of fresh legislation.

FAQ

How old do I need to be to play at HI betting sites?

In Hawaii, the age limit for social gambling is 18. But in jurisdictions where it is permitted, sports betting is normally limited to those who are at least 21 years old.

Are there any sports betting retail locations in Hawaii?

No, there aren't any retail sports betting locations in Hawaii. The absence of gambling in Hawaii makes it difficult to create retail sports betting market. While other states without access to other forms of gambling might be able to do so, it wouldn't be as simple as merging sports betting and lottery play.

Can I play on offshore betting sites in Hawaii?

Yes, you can gamble on offshore betting sites in Hawaii, but sadly, there are no consumer protections for anyone who decides to do so. For instance, an offshore sportsbook operator could decide to close their website without crediting customer accounts or refuse to pay out winning bets and not be held accountable under US law.