Bill > HB2570

This bill, known as the Representative Daniel Holt Act, establishes a framework for regulating sports wagering in Hawaii, overseen by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT). It requires both sports wagering operators (companies that accept bets) and sports wagering suppliers (companies that provide equipment or services) to obtain licenses from the DBEDT, which will also conduct criminal history record checks on applicants and licensees. A general excise tax will be levied on sports wagering operator licenses, and a portion of the revenue will fund the Problem Gambling Prevention and Treatment Special Fund, administered by the Department of Health. Importantly, the bill specifies that legal sports wagering and fantasy sports contests will not be considered contests of chance or gambling under state law, thereby exempting them from certain gambling-related offenses. The bill also outlines various duties for sports wagering operators, including implementing monitoring systems for suspicious activity, reporting violations, and ensuring responsible gaming practices, and establishes rules for sports wagering accounts, voluntary exclusion programs, and tax collection.