HB 2570 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO SPORTS WAGERING.

Summary

Allows for the regulation of sports wagering by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Establishes licensing requirements for sports wagering operators and sports wagering suppliers. Establishes a general excise tax to be levied on sports wagering operator licenses. Establishes the Problem Gambling Prevention and Treatment Special Fund to be administered and expended by the Department of Health. Specifies that legal sports wagering and fantasy sports contests shall not be considered contests of chance or gambling. Authorizes the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to perform criminal history record checks on applicants and licensees relating to sports wagering. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 28, 2026 Last action Feb 12, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB2570 → HB2570_HD1 · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends Hawaii's sports wagering laws to create a new chapter regulating the industry, establish a voluntary exclusion program for problem gamblers, and define specific tax rates and fund allocations. It also updates criminal history record check requirements for various state agencies and modifies the effective date of the legislation to July 1, 3000, while exempting licensed sports wagering from gambling penalties.

Scope change

The bill expands the regulatory scope by adding a new chapter for sports wagering and broadens the list of entities authorized to conduct criminal background checks on employees and applicants.

SCOPE

Added a new chapter to the Hawaii Revised Statutes specifically for the regulation of sports wagering, including definitions and operational rules.

REQUIREMENT

Established a voluntary exclusion program allowing individuals to voluntarily exclude themselves from sports wagering, with operators required to comply.

Amended the list of state agencies authorized to conduct criminal history record checks on employees and applicants, adding new categories and removing others.

FISCAL

Created a problem gambling prevention and treatment special fund, allocating 7% of sports wagering taxes to it and 7% to education programs.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date of the Act from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 3000, and updated the repeal clause for the background check section.

ENFORCEMENT

Added a specific prohibition preventing employees of sports wagering operators from placing bets on their employer's platform.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'wagering event' to clarify the inclusion of e-sports and remove redundant phrasing.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 12, 2026

Committee

Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 263-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA/CPC.

lower

Feb 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Holt, Yamashita; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Tam; 3 Noes: Representative(s) Hussey, Templo, Gedeon; and Excused: none.

lower

Feb 3, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to ECD, JHA/CPC, FIN, referral sheet 7

lower

Feb 2, 2026

Committee

Referred to ECD, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 6

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

5 primary · 0 co-sponsors