Sports betting across the United States has seen its fair share of controversary in recent years and has only recently been legalized in a small minority of destinations, while other states maintain a tight grip on keeping certain aspects of sports betting illegal within their providence.
There are now only two states in the US that fully prohibit any forms of betting activity which remain to be Utah and Hawaii, with all other states now allowing more betting related assets to flourish and keep the controversial industry producing at a dependable rate.
Utah is a state known for its popular sports teams including the NBA franchise Jazz and MLS side Real Salt Lake as well as the BYU Cougars NCAA basketball team, and while this state is commonly known as being a relatively smaller sports market, Utah has stood firm with its stance on betting despite many other locations now implying with a number of betting laws.
Hawaii, on the other hand, is not necessarily known for its sports teams with the only major sides including the women’s Rainbow Wahine volleyball team in the NCAA as well as the Islanders and Honolulu Sharks minor league baseball teams.
However, despite being a major tourist destination for decades, Hawaii has still taken the urge to prohibit any betting activity since the states initial inception way back in 1959.
Rumors are often flared up about whether a casino or sportsbook could open and operate out of the small island to further bring in more tourists who maybe accustomed to betting, yet this remains to be nothing more than a future concept that the state has taken the decision to decline.
Hawaii has previously been approached with the opportunity to construct two casino housings in 2010 and 2011 but would reject all changes.
Another close agreement was nearly reached in 2018 when the US Supreme Court took further action to legalize betting activity in almost every state, yet Hawaii would once again decline.
It remains unclear on whether this stance will change throughout the next few years, but in the meantime, tourist travelling to the island should remain vigilant on the laws surrounding betting until further action is discussed regarding legalization.
- Could sports betting in Hawaii become legalized in the future?
It is never out of the question to quote on whether sports betting could become a feature of Hawaii’s many unique traditions in the near future, yet there is a certain possibility that some locals and tourists alike will welcome the inclusion of sports betting services on the lonesome island.
Of course, there have been great strides in the online betting circuit as more punters are now placing their wagers across various online webpages and mobile applications ahead of a major sporting matchup.
This could potentially be incorporated into further negotiations with state officials regarding potential legalization of betting related activities in the future, as online betting provides a much more simplistic and convenient platforms for locals to place any bets, rather than heading out to a crowed casino or sportsbook that would likely be flocked with tourists.
The state of Tennessee, which of course is another popular US tourist destination, has a system relating to online betting only and as such does not require any relationships with land-based entities.
Hawaii could look to duplicate this method for any future betting legalization plans as to mainly keep any betting related activities to only be applied to online services rather than in-house events.
- How would a betting legalization affect sports within Hawaii?
It is clear that when it comes to sports, Hawaii’s forte often relays on water games involving tourists than a sole focus on producing teams that could compete in a nationally televised league.
However, with the potential legalization of sports betting in Hawaii, this perspective could soon change given that the population will be more attuned to the various sports divisions and events that are available across the world.
As such, the demand to include a potential sports team on the small island may be further increased amongst locals as well as tourists, who maybe interested in watching a professional sports game while on vacation.
Hawaii is of course a very small island and as such it may not be sighted as being a potential developing market in need of a sports team, yet the inclusion of sports betting could further push the narrative surrounding a professional teams inclusion across all major leagues.
Legalizing betting could go a long way to increase the potential dormant sports market that remains offshore to the US in the Pacific Ocean, and with more states now raring to legalize such actions for the foreseeable future, there is no reason why Hawaii cannot follow suit and include more related activities for one of the world’s most vast growing industries.
Leave a Reply