Holt stated:
“These game rooms are unregulated. They often have to do with drugs and prostitution as well. By having a legal avenue to express their willingness to play these poker games we are going to get the tax revenue.”
Mizuno added that he hoped to avoid an influx of major gaming companies by making the new parlors locally owned.
“The reason we are concerned about DraftKings, Fanduel is we don’t want a mainland corporation coming in and just taking all the money.”
Mizuno and Holt estimate that Hawaii residents are currently spending approximately one billion dollars per year on gambling in Las Vegas and that if the bill were to pass, it would generate millions of dollars in revenue for the state. The bill proposes that any funding generated by the industry could be used to fund affordable housing programs and provide assistance for those struggling with gambling addiction.
Hawaii Set for Another Legislative Push to Legalize Gambling Hawaii Set for Another Legislative Push to Legalize Gambling
An experienced iGaming commentator and analyst based in New York City - Jenny reports on regulation and gambling industry news and events.