Honolulu passes new laws to target illegal game rooms as officials urge statewide action

In an effort to curb illegal gambling activity across Oahu, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi signed three new bills into law on Thursday, expanding the city’s tools to crack down on illicit game rooms. The move follows a year-long campaign by the city’s game room task force, which has led to the closure of approximately half of the island’s known gambling dens, according to the Honolulu Police Department (HPD).

The legislation, Bills 11, 12, and 13, introduces a multi-pronged approach. Bill 11 requires registration of all gambling devices and authorizes HPD to seize unregistered machines.

“This is the kind of legislation we owe to the community to take this kind of initiative, provide this kind of leadership, and get stuff done,” Mayor Blangiardi said at the signing ceremony.

Bill 12 increases penalties for unpermitted work at illegal establishments, including violations of fire and electrical codes. Bill 13 facilitates the eviction of tenants involved in unlawful activity, strengthening coordination between landlords and law enforcement.

“We hope that once the owners are informed and they know that the illegal game rooms are now happening inside of their property, they’re more likely to cooperate with us and not let it continue,” said HPD Sergeant Leland Kudaishi.

City Prosecutor Steve Alm praised the measures, saying: “I gotta tell you these three bills are great. They are smart. They are innovative. The first one, Bill 11, is going to require the owners to register all these games, and if they don’t, HPD is going to be able to seize them.”

According to HPD, 60 game rooms have been shut down over the past year, but the problem remains persistent. In Waianae, where 26 gambling sites were once operating, only 11 remain.

The city also announced a $1.7 million appropriation to fund renovations for the upper level of the Waianae police station, a move intended to boost law enforcement presence in high-impact areas.

City Councilmember Andria Tupola emphasized the need to remove gambling operations from neighborhoods. “The community members are living next to game rooms where there is trafficking, shootings, guns, we need to take them out of residential areas so we can feel safe,” she said.

State Senator Samantha DeCorte expressed concern about legislation that reduces penalties for offenders under 21. “All you’re doing is sending a message to the shot callers letting them know that now we’re gonna contract killers that are under the age of 21 and tell these kids, ‘you gonna get parole, so it’s gonna be okay,’” she said.