In the US, where legal sports betting is available in 36 states and growing, the NFL has been one of the major leagues that have embraced the industry with official betting partnerships. The NHL has also jumped on the bandwagon with many of its teams having their own in-stadium bookmakers.
Despite this, it’s still a long shot for sports betting to come to Hawaii. The state’s constitution says it is illegal to offer sports gambling, and no major legislative efforts have gained traction in the legislature.
This means millions of people in the state will miss out on the opportunity to place popular wagers such as NFL Super Bowl odds or other bets as their favorite sports teams compete in the upcoming season. For the state to change its position, it will need to pass a bill or constitutional amendment to allow sports betting.
While some of the other states on this list have made some progress in pushing through legislation, it’s hard to see how Georgia will ever allow sports betting as its current laws enshrine the practice within the criminal code. The state’s governor has signaled he would support a bill, but it has yet to gain any momentum in the state senate. Multiple bills have been put forth in the past two years, but each time they’ve stalled in committee and ultimately died.