Online Poker Hawaii

Online Poker in Hawaii When the online poker boom hit the United States in the early 2000s, it breathed life into the poker industry in Hawaii. Being so far away from the continental states, Hawaiians were finally able to connect with the rest of the country by sitting at common poker. In spite of it being against the law to play online poker in Hawaii, Hawaii certainly isn't the only state to make online poker playing illegal, and there are several other sites where it is also clearly against the law to play for real money at an online poker. On black Friday all legal online poker was essentially shut down in the United States. You could play online in Hawaii before this, but the fact remains that you'll probably have no chance of doing so again. Summary: It appears that you cannot be involved in online poker for real money as either an operator of a poker site or a participant wouldn't be in compliance with Hawaii law. Hawaii Online Poker Laws - Recent Developments. There have been a few attempts in the last couple of years to introduce regulated online gambling / online poker to Hawaii. There is currently no legislation permitting online poker in the state. Current Hawaii Gambling Laws Hawaii may be known for its beautiful scenery, its tropical climate, active volcanoes,.

Legal online poker in Hawaii provides players with one of the more generous means of wagering as the game has brought players the ability to win some serious cash. This is only if you know where you can safely play, however. With no laws in Hawaii making it specifically illegal for you to participate, you will be able to play online poker without fear of being outside of the realm of law. We do not want you to take the risk of playing on an illegitimate poker site, which is why we have done what we can to find the safest places to play.

The most important aspects that make an online poker site truly great are primarily if it is legal. After meeting this simple requirement, a site should have a solid track record of service to their members, consistent payouts, ample customer support and tight security. Luckily, our well trained staff here at LegalUSAPoker knows just the places for those living in Hawaii who want the best. We will cover all of the top online poker sites available to those living in the Aloha State that are both legal and reputable.

Is Online Poker Legal In Hawaii?

There are a number of federal laws in place across the country to consider when playing online poker, primarily the UIGEA of 2006 which has been controversial since it passed as an attachment of the Safe Port Act. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act prohibits businesses and proprietors from facilitating bets for gain and may hinder monetary transactions between such services. While they target organized crime, they do nothing to prevent a card player from placing a bet in their favorite game. Individual states may expound upon these laws to either back up or relax upon the framework put in place by the federal government.

As a state that has written its own laws regarding poker, Hawaii remains one of only two states to have completely removed all forms of gambling, poker included, from within their borders. Only Utah is less forgiving in hosting gambling establishments. While there is no state licensed poker or Native American operated card rooms in the state, Hawaii actually has the most liberal legislation on record for allowing players to do as they wish within the privacy of their homes or in private spaces. So long as one is not standing to make a profit off bets, they are within Hawaii state law, just as is the case with federal law.

Since it is legal for anyone in the state of Hawaii to play a poker game for money provided they follow the rules, it is still difficult to do so as laws have all but erased any venue that might host games. Players may only legally play for money if it is within a private residence or at a legal online venue. Luckily, there are plenty of options for poker players in the Aloha State.

Learn More:Is Online Poker Legal In The United States?

BetOnline Poker Room - Best Hawaii Poker Site

BetOnline Poker - One online poker room we have long been fans of is that of BetOnline. If you decide to join up with their service, you will not have to be afraid of being ripped off. Their software has been tooled to be one of the most secure of all the online poker options that serve Hawaii players.

No other legal poker site accepting Americans offers their players the ease of access that BetOnline does. If you join up with their service you will be able to collect a 200% Match to $1K, which is one of the largest of the poker bonuses out there. BetOnline's online poker room has made it safe for players to participate, and we can assure you that their Texas Hold 'em, Omaha and seven card stud games are all totally legitimate and free of any complications outside of bad play...bad play is on you, but luckily BetOnline has plenty of free tables to practice your skills!

Overall Thoughts About Legal Poker In Hawaii

As there is no land-based option to play live poker in Hawaii other than at home with friends, the internet is the only place to go for card fans. There are large amounts of legal sites that are available to residents of the Aloha State as any spot that is located outside of both Hawaii and federal jurisdiction is safe to use. While there are many sites that are better than others, we have found many that are capable of providing exciting real money games and mail payouts directly to a player's home address without their ever having to get off the couch.

Online poker in the Aloha State has become the top, if not the only, form of the game. It is available 24 hours a day, every single day of the week, to all locals in Hawaii for them to take advantage of big pots at their leisure.

Playing Online Poker In Hawaii

Hawaii is one of only two states in the United States, with the other one being Utah, that makes gambling illegal period, other than social gambling. They don't have any poker rooms, they don't have any casinos, they don't have pari mutuel betting, they don't even have a lottery. In other words there is no regulated gambling in Hawaii whatsoever.

So the law in Hawaii that applies to gambling applies in all cases, save for the defense of social gambling, and other than that there are no provisions outside of it. So let's take a look at the law there to see what it indeed does include, first starting with the law itself:

'(1) A person commits the offense of gambling if the person knowingly advances or participates in any gambling activity.
(2) Gambling is a misdemeanor.' (1)

So now we know that participating in gambling activity is a crime in Hawaii, so the next step is to see what defines gambling in this state:

'(4) 'Gambling'. A person engages in gambling if he stakes or risks something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event not under his control or influence, upon an agreement or understanding that he or someone else will receive something of value in the event of a certain outcome. Gambling does not include bona fide business transactions valid under the law of contracts, including but not limited to contracts for the purchase or sale at a future date of securities or commodities, and agreements to compensate for loss caused by the happening of chance, including but not limited to contracts of indemnity or guaranty and life, health, or accident insurance.' (2)

So in terms of this applying to poker playing, this in itself does leave the door open a bit at least, even though the outcome of poker bets aren't completely under one's control, but they are to some degree at least, which could be seen as having them not qualify as gambling under this definition.

However, this door is closed by the definition provided for 'contest of chance,' as follows:

(3) ''Contest of chance' means any contest, game, gaming scheme, or gaming device in which the outcome depends in a material degree upon an element of chance, notwithstanding that skill of the contestants may also be a factor therein.' (3)

So there we have it, poker does indeed depend to a material degree on chance, where material degree here is a matter of whether this element of chance materially affects the outcome of bets, which it clearly does, and they also mention that skill playing a factor as well does not save it. This section actually seems to be written specifically to include poker in fact. So poker is a contest of chance, contests of chance constitute gambling, and gambling is prohibited.

What About Social Gambling Though?

Not all forms of gambling are prohibited in Hawaii though, and the sole exception is what is termed social gambling. Social gambling is provided as a defense to a charge of gambling, which will be successful if the following conditions are met:

'(1) Players compete on equal terms with each other; and
(2) No player receives, or becomes entitled to receive, anything of value or any profit, directly or indirectly, other than the player's personal gambling winnings; and
(3) No other person, corporation, unincorporated association, or entity receives or becomes entitled to receive, anything of value or any profit, directly or indirectly, from any source, including but not limited to permitting the use of premises, supplying refreshments, food, drinks, service, lodging or entertainment; and
(4) It is not conducted or played in or at a hotel, motel, bar, nightclub, cocktail lounge, restaurant, massage parlor, billiard parlor, or any business establishment of any kind, public parks, public buildings, public beaches, school grounds, churches or any other public area; and
(5) None of the players is below the age of majority; and
(6) The gambling activity is not bookmaking.' (4)

So this would permit home games being played for money as long as no one is charging for the play, and as long as the gambling occurs in a private setting, and not in a business establishment or public place.

What about online poker though? Well this often does occur in a private setting, one's home, but in all cases the poker site would be collecting something of value for offering the online play, so this would clearly disqualify this as a defense, and the onus is on the defendant to prove all of these conditions exist, and they would not be able to do that.

Can You Still Play Online Poker In Hawaii Though?

In spite of it being against the law to play online poker in Hawaii, Hawaii certainly isn't the only state to make online poker playing illegal, and there are several other sites where it is also clearly against the law to play for real money at an online poker site.

However, as there has yet to be any convictions for this anywhere in the United States, and it would also be a very difficult crime to enforce anyway, and due to the lack of will to prosecute, there are a great many players who are more than willing to play online poker in spite of what the law may say as long as there are poker rooms willing to accept players from their state.

So Hawaiians are fortunate enough to have several online poker rooms more than willing to accept them, and this list includes our personal favorite, Ignition Poker. They are fresh off a great acquisition of the Bovada Poker software and have since rebranded as Ignition.

Not all forms of gambling are prohibited in Hawaii though, and the sole exception is what is termed social gambling. Social gambling is provided as a defense to a charge of gambling, which will be successful if the following conditions are met:

'(1) Players compete on equal terms with each other; and
(2) No player receives, or becomes entitled to receive, anything of value or any profit, directly or indirectly, other than the player's personal gambling winnings; and
(3) No other person, corporation, unincorporated association, or entity receives or becomes entitled to receive, anything of value or any profit, directly or indirectly, from any source, including but not limited to permitting the use of premises, supplying refreshments, food, drinks, service, lodging or entertainment; and
(4) It is not conducted or played in or at a hotel, motel, bar, nightclub, cocktail lounge, restaurant, massage parlor, billiard parlor, or any business establishment of any kind, public parks, public buildings, public beaches, school grounds, churches or any other public area; and
(5) None of the players is below the age of majority; and
(6) The gambling activity is not bookmaking.' (4)

So this would permit home games being played for money as long as no one is charging for the play, and as long as the gambling occurs in a private setting, and not in a business establishment or public place.

What about online poker though? Well this often does occur in a private setting, one's home, but in all cases the poker site would be collecting something of value for offering the online play, so this would clearly disqualify this as a defense, and the onus is on the defendant to prove all of these conditions exist, and they would not be able to do that.

Can You Still Play Online Poker In Hawaii Though?

In spite of it being against the law to play online poker in Hawaii, Hawaii certainly isn't the only state to make online poker playing illegal, and there are several other sites where it is also clearly against the law to play for real money at an online poker site.

However, as there has yet to be any convictions for this anywhere in the United States, and it would also be a very difficult crime to enforce anyway, and due to the lack of will to prosecute, there are a great many players who are more than willing to play online poker in spite of what the law may say as long as there are poker rooms willing to accept players from their state.

So Hawaiians are fortunate enough to have several online poker rooms more than willing to accept them, and this list includes our personal favorite, Ignition Poker. They are fresh off a great acquisition of the Bovada Poker software and have since rebranded as Ignition.

For being a new site, they have a great amount of traffic and if you haven't played here yet you need to get your account already (they give you a free $5 chip to use in the casino, too!) – you will NOT regret it, trust me.

References:

(1) Hawaii Statutes, Section 712-1223: Gambling

(2) Hawaii Statutes, Section 712-1220: Definitions Of Terms In This Part

(3) ibid.

(4) Hawaii Statutes, Section 712-1231: Social Gambling, Definition and Specific Conditions, Alternative Defense

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Online Poker Hawaii

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