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- A Senate and House approved bill legalizes daily fantasy sports contests and online sports betting
- Hawaii may likely become the 40th state to legalize sports betting
- Player vs. the House contests will not be permitted under the law
Hawaii daily fantasy sports contests are likely soon going to become a reality.
The Senate yesterday approved Rep. Daniel Holt’s bill, HB 1308, to legalize Hawaii sports betting and daily fantasy sports (DFS) contests by a 15-10 vote. The amended bill will be sent back to the House for concurrence.
The House is expected to agree with the changes and Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D) to then sign the legislation into law.
Hawaii Daily Fantasy Sports Coming Soon
If the Hawaii House of Representatives approves the amendment included in the bill, and Gov. Green signs the bill into law, Hawaii will become the 40th state to legalize sports betting and will also be able to offer DFS contests to state residents.
According to the approved bill, DFS contests must include the following:
- There are no fewer than two participants; provided that all participants are natural persons and a fantasy sports contest operator shall not be construed to be a participant
- Participants own, manage, or coach imaginary teams
- All prizes and awards offered to winning participants are established and made known to participants in advance of the game or contest
- The winning outcome of the game or contest reflects the relative skill of the participants and is determined by statistics generated by actual individuals, including athletes in the case of a sporting event
- No winning outcome is based solely on the performance of an individual athlete or on the score, point spread, or any performance of any single real-world team or any combination of real-world teams
The wording of DFS contests in the bill will make player vs. the house games illegal, as an operator cannot be defined as a participant in the contest. A number have states have prohibited these types of DFS games, construing them as sports betting.
Recently, both Maryland and Illinois have considered legalizing the contest type.
If signed into law, operators such as DraftKings Fantasy, PrizePicks, and Underdog Fantasy will have the opportunity to offer DFS contests in Hawaii.
Bill Also Legalizes Online Sports Betting
The bill will also allow at least four online sports betting licenses to be awarded to operators in the state.
The Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement will regulate the new form of gaming if ultimately approved. Additionally, the enforcement of the general excise tax on sports betting will be administered by the Hawaii Department of Taxation.
If approved, the bill will go into effect on July 1, 2025.
Robert is an expert on sports betting in the United States, specifically the legalization process and regulation surrounding the industry.
