Who Will Claim The Legal Hawaii Sports Betting Licenses?

• Hawaii is on the brink of legalizing online sports betting, with House Bill 1308 advancing through the legislature.
• DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Fanatics are expected to be first in line for licenses when the market opens.

HONOLULU – Hawaii’s journey toward legal sports betting took a significant step forward this week as the state Senate approved Bill HB1308, sending it back to the House for concurrence.

The House is widely expected to align with the Senate’s amendments and Governor Josh Green is anticipated to sign the legislation into law as well. Once that happens, the Aloha State will join the list of U.S. states with sports betting, but which sportsbooks will be in Hawaii once this happens?

The First Four Sportsbooks In Hawaii Are Easy To Guess

The legislation, which could see a regulatory framework in place by July 1 of this year, allows for a minimum of four online sports betting platforms to operate in the state, accompanied by a modest 10% tax rate on revenue.

This setup has already drawn attention from industry heavyweights, particularly the Sports Betting Alliance (SBA), a coalition of DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Fanatics.

The SBA played a pivotal role in shaping the bill, delivering compelling testimony during legislative hearings to advocate for regulation. Their efforts underscored the economic potential of sports betting in Hawaii, citing job creation, tourism boosts, and a new revenue stream for the state.

Given their proactive involvement, it’s no surprise that DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Fanatics are frontrunners to secure licenses to become legal Hawaii sportsbooks offering online action, once the market opens.

But could other players crash the party?

While the SBA quartet dominates the conversation, Hawaii’s low tax rate and untapped market might lure additional operators. Companies like Caesars Sportsbook or Bet365 have strong footholds in other states and could vie for a piece of the action.

Data on potential interest from other sportsbooks remains sparse, but wording from HB 1308 (“a minimum of four sports wagering operator licenses”) leaves the door open for surprises.

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