Latest news with #StopPredatoryGambling
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
No online sports gambling coming to Hawaii, bill deferred
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Online sports gambling won't be coming to Hawaii anytime soon. A bill that would have made it legal died in the state legislature April 25, the last working day of the session. HB1308, introduced by Rep. Dan Holt, would've made online sports betting legal. Bill aimed at inflation could make shoreline development easier with no public say 'We just haven't come to an agreement on the details with number of operators, tax rate, fees and those kinds of things,' Holt said. 'And there's still some kind of questions left unanswered by some of the members who have concerns about sports betting.' The big question is the estimated $10 to $20 million in revenue gambling could bring in, worth the problems associated with it like crime and addiction.'It's a good chunk of money,' Holt said. 'It wouldn't fix all our problems, but it is a sizeable amount of money that we could've had to address some of our issues.' 'This is the fifth state in 2025 that said no to expanding online gambling,' said Les Bernal, Stop Predatory Gambling national director. 'Because other states have seen the harm, both financial harm and public health harm that predatory gambling has inflicted in the states that have legalized online gambling.' Sen. Lynn DeCoite introduced the senate's version of the bill. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news 'For me, I was asked to introduce that, introduce the bill, which is why it brought a lot, it brought a lot of information,' DeCoite said. 'People came out and then like when I go home, a lot of people I talked to were like 'you know we should have gambing.' I'm like 'well where are you when we're testifying.'' DeCoite says she's actually against legalized gambling. Although these bills started a good dialogue, they're putting the cart before the horse, and the state should have a working group first to understand all the potential effects before making gambling legal she said. 'I think it is where it should have been–right here dead,' DeCoite said. 'So that we can come up with the right information to make better sound decisions on whether this is what the community wants.' Gamblers know there's no such thing as a sure bet. But gambling supporters say there's one thing that is guaranteed–they will fight for legalized gambling again next year. 'Do you think sports gambling will ever be legal in Hawaii? You know, we'll give it another try next year and we'll see how it goes,' Holt said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nebraska lawmakers could ask voters to expand gambling with online sports betting
Les Bernal, national director of Stop Predatory Gambling, right, speaks to reporters before a Nebraska hearing to expand gambling, such as to online sports betting. Pat Loontjer, executive director of Gambling with the Good Life watches in the back. March 10, 2025.(Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — Nebraska lawmakers heard from gambling lobbyists that they should expand state gambling to include mobile sports betting, while opponents called out an 'industry driven by greed.' Legislative Resolution 20CA, a proposed constitutional amendment filed by State Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln, would allow voters to approve online betting in the state. Currently, state law allows casino style gambling at the state's six existing horse racetracks — so-called 'racinos.' Nebraskans approved the change in 2020. 'Nebraska is currently missing out on a $1.6 billion state online industry and $32 million in annual tax revenue,' Bostar said, 'which instead goes to neighboring states like Iowa, Colorado, Kansas.' Bostar said the proposal would be 'an opportunity to create a new source of tax revenue for property tax relief.' Before the hearing, Stop Predatory Gambling, Gambling with the Good Life and the Nebraska Family Alliance expressed concerns, saying LR20CA and other similar proposals represent a 'direct threat' to families in the state. Pat Loontjer, executive director of Gambling with the Good Life, said before the hearing that it's 'false' that expanding gambling would reduce property taxes. 'It's been five years, and I don't know how many of you have had your property taxes reduced, but no one that I've ever met,' Loontjer said. 'It's a lie.' The Legislature's General Affairs Committee heard other bills related to state gambling law, including one that would remove a restriction on betting on Nebraska college games when the Cornhuskers are playing at home and others that would make slight revisions to current state gambling law that expands where the taxes collected can go. 'If they want this on the ballot,' said Nate Grasz, the Nebraska Family Alliance executive director. 'They should go out and do the work themselves, rather than expect the senators to do it for them.' Several gambling lobbyists spoke to support the amendment, pointing to public polling showing support for online sports gambling. 'Five years ago, your constituents overwhelmingly passed in-person sports betting when they cast their vote yes on the 2020 ballot legalizing it with the state,' Sarah Meuli, DraftKings Government Affairs Manager, said. 'That enthusiasm has only grown.' Testifiers against the gambling proposals spoke to the moral costs of gambling, saying that expanding gambling to online sports betting would target vulnerable populations and worsen the 'epidemic' of teen gambling. 'The house always wins,' said Nebraska Family Alliance Executive Director Nate Grasz. 'For the house to win, The people of Nebraska and our own children you have to lose.' Bostar said he feels '6-out-of-10' confident that the bill advances out of committee. The other bills have similar arguments. The General Affairs Committee took no immediate action on the gambling proposals. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nebraska lawmakers could ask voters to expand gambling with online sports betting
Les Bernal, national director of Stop Predatory Gambling, right, speaks to reporters before a Nebraska hearing to expand gambling, such as to online sports betting. Pat Loontjer, executive director of Gambling with the Good Life watches in the back. March 10, 2025.(Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — Nebraska lawmakers heard from gambling lobbyists that they should expand state gambling to include mobile sports betting, while opponents called out an 'industry driven by greed.' Legislative Resolution 20CA, a proposed constitutional amendment filed by State Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln, would allow voters to approve online betting in the state. Currently, state law allows casino style gambling at the state's six existing horse racetracks — so-called 'racinos.' Nebraskans approved the change in 2020. 'Nebraska is currently missing out on a $1.6 billion state online industry and $32 million in annual tax revenue,' Bostar said, 'which instead goes to neighboring states like Iowa, Colorado, Kansas.' Bostar said the proposal would be 'an opportunity to create a new source of tax revenue for property tax relief.' Before the hearing, Stop Predatory Gambling, Gambling with the Good Life and the Nebraska Family Alliance expressed concerns, saying LR20CA and other similar proposals represent a 'direct threat' to families in the state. Pat Loontjer, executive director of Gambling with the Good Life, said before the hearing that it's 'false' that expanding gambling would reduce property taxes. 'It's been five years, and I don't know how many of you have had your property taxes reduced, but no one that I've ever met,' Loontjer said. 'It's a lie.' The Legislature's General Affairs Committee heard other bills related to state gambling law, including one that would remove a restriction on betting on Nebraska college games when the Cornhuskers are playing at home and others that would make slight revisions to current state gambling law that expands where the taxes collected can go. 'If they want this on the ballot,' said Nate Grasz, the Nebraska Family Alliance executive director. 'They should go out and do the work themselves, rather than expect the senators to do it for them.' Several gambling lobbyists spoke to support the amendment, pointing to public polling showing support for online sports gambling. 'Five years ago, your constituents overwhelmingly passed in-person sports betting when they cast their vote yes on the 2020 ballot legalizing it with the state,' Sarah Meuli, DraftKings Government Affairs Manager, said. 'That enthusiasm has only grown.' Testifiers against the gambling proposals spoke to the moral costs of gambling, saying that expanding gambling to online sports betting would target vulnerable populations and worsen the 'epidemic' of teen gambling. 'The house always wins,' said Nebraska Family Alliance Executive Director Nate Grasz. 'For the house to win, The people of Nebraska and our own children you have to lose.' Bostar said he feels '6-out-of-10' confident that the bill advances out of committee. The other bills have similar arguments. The General Affairs Committee took no immediate action on the gambling proposals. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
