Hawaii Considers How Bringing Casino Gambling Into the State Might Impact Residents’ Health
A new bill from legislators in Hawaii, known as H.B. 1962, would fund a study to understand the feasibility of legalized casino gaming in Hawaii.
Gambling is legal in 48 out of 50 states in the U.S., but remains illegal in Hawaii, a “ripe target market for legal gambling,” write Hawaiian House members in a draft of the bill.
“Hawaii residents regularly generate hundreds of millions, perhaps billions, of tax revenue dollars for other states while traveling to gamble, and in return, Hawaii receives little to no benefit,” write members in the draft.
Currently, according to the bill’s text, Hawaii residents typically take a total of about 500,000 trips to Las Vegas, Nevada, and other gambling destinations each year, and Nevada-based gaming corporations make millions from Hawaiians annually.
The bill suggests that if casinos were developed in Hawaii, those dollars would go instead to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.
When it comes to protecting the health of state residents, the bill would require the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to address potential public health and safety concerns.
Those opposed to the bill have expressed concerns that bringing in more gambling would lead to a higher number of sex traffic survivors.
“Hawaii is home to over 2,500 unique and individual sex trafficking survivors. These are women and children who are victimized and trafficked here on our shores, and bringing in gambling will only make that number rise. If we care about women and children, then we need to ensure that gambling doesn’t happen on our shores,” said Rep. Jeanné Kapela, D-Hawaii, during a press conference on Feb. 9.
Alexa can be reached at [email protected]
