Honolulu police bust another illegal gambling backroom

Honolulu Police in Hawaii have busted an illegal gambling ring, confiscating 16 machines and reportedly over $5000 in cash. The anti-gambling operation happened on Wednesday (September 17), and was a joint move by Narcotics Vice, the District 8 Crime Reduction Unit, and Specialized Services Division.

In June, Honolulu mayor Rick Blangiardi introduced three new bills to curb backroom gambling. Bill 11 fines the individual for the devices themselves, with anything under 20 machines counting as a misdemeanor, but if caught with more than that, it’s a felony.

Bills 12 and 13 empower the police and landlords by allowing for harder crackdowns and for landlords to summon police to root out backroom gambling from their properties.

Also in June, Honolulu police raided another backroom gambling ring, this time in Pearl City. This was again under the 20 machine limit, with 16 machines recovered from the scene.

Honolulu bust highlights strict Hawaii laws

Hawaii is one of the strictest states in the US when it comes to gambling. There is currently a push and pull between officials and the public over allowing online sports gambling, which is now headed to the state’s senate. It’s not clear if it will pass fully as of yet, but Governor Josh Green has said that he wouldn’t veto the bill.

One critic of the bill called it “a turd” in a letter expressing their dislike of the idea.

Hawaii is so strict, it doesn’t even have a state lottery, something you’d commonly find in other states with similar stringent laws.

The US has seen a huge rise in gambling in recent years, hence the governor’s semi-backing of a sports gambling bill. However, as states have allowed or disallowed gambling, bettors have found offshore or illegal methods to satiate their needs. A recent report found that 74% of gambling revenue heads out of the US, even if it is conducted within the country’s borders.

Featured image: Honolulu Police Department

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