HB 2198 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO PREDICTION MARKETS.

Summary

Amends the definition of "gambling" to include predictive markets involving the purchase, sale, or financial speculation of securities, commodities, or other similar financial products on the outcome or future contingent event related to catastrophe, contests, death, legislation, national security, people, politics, and sports. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 26, 2026 Last action Mar 12, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB2198_HD1 → HB2198_HD2 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill amends the definition of 'gambling' to explicitly include prediction markets involving securities or commodities related to events like sports, politics, and catastrophes. The revision clarifies that the prohibition applies to financial speculation on these outcomes, closing a potential legal gap. Additionally, the bill's version number and associated dates were updated to reflect its progression from the first to the second House of Representatives reading.

Scope change

The scope of prohibited gambling activities was expanded to explicitly cover prediction markets and financial speculation on specific future events, whereas the previous version had a slightly different phrasing regarding the inclusion of these financial products.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'gambling' was revised to explicitly include the purchase, sale, or financial speculation of securities or commodities where the outcome relates to events like sports, politics, and catastrophes.

The specific clause regarding sports betting was modified to include 'any component thereof,' broadening the scope to cover parts of sporting events, not just the events themselves.

TECHNICAL

Administrative metadata, including the bill author name, version numbers, and effective dates, were updated to reflect the bill's progression to the second House reading.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to CPN/EDT, JDC/WAM.

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 377).

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Pierick excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Mar 3, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.

lower

Feb 13, 2026

Committee

Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 264-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Feb 5, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 11 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Grandinetti, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Kong, Lowen, Marten, Tam, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 30, 2026

Committee

Referred to CPC, JHA, referral sheet 5

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

16 primary · 0 co-sponsors