HONOLULU — A plan to set up a city-led gambling task force composed of multiple city agencies including the Honolulu Police Department was formally adopted by the City Council on Wednesday.
The panel passed Resolution 143, which seeks to establish “a gambling room task force to advise and assist the Council on identifying and developing solutions to combat the ongoing proliferation of illegal game room operations in the city.”
The task force — to also include representatives of the city departments of the Prosecuting Attorney, Planning and Permitting, Corporation Counsel, the Office of Council Services as well as the council — wants to help weed out the 100 gaming rooms that police say operate somewhere on O‘ahu each day.
In a year’s time, an average of only about 20 such illegal operations are shuttered here, police say.
HPD also says when local gambling parlors — drawing illegal drugs, weapons, prostitution and gun-related violence — are shut down by law enforcement, the lucrative operations tend to quickly reopen, sometimes in the same spot and often under new operators.
Introduced in May by Council Chair Tommy Waters and council member Tyler Dos Santos-Tam, Resolution 143 states that “despite legislative efforts to enhance penalties relating to illegal game room operations, the Council believes that because the possession of a gambling device knowingly used to advance gambling activity is only a misdemeanor level offense under state law, illegal game rooms will continue to operate, further endangering public safety,” the resolution states.
“The Council finds that establishing a task force to devise solutions to address lack of enforcement and inadequate legal means to combat illegal gambling activities is necessary and is in the best interest of the city and its residents,” the resolution adds.
As adopted, the new task force will first study the game room problem, then it “shall submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the Council no later than 90 days after the adoption of this resolution and prior to its dissolution,” the resolution states.
The group’s completed report will be sent to the Mayor’s Office, city managing director, chief of police, DPP director and city prosecutor.
But before adopting the legislation, the council amended Resolution 143 — including having the panel appoint two members of the public to the task force, and dissolving the full group by June 30, 2025.
At the meeting, Retail Merchants of Hawai‘i President Tina Yamaki supported the task force plan.
“Illegal gambling establishments have a significant negative impact on our community’s social, economic, and public health landscape. Establishing a dedicated task force will enable us to address these issues comprehensively and proactively,” she told the council. “Gambling rooms contribute to an increase in the crime rate and financial instability amongst residents. And we have seen many stolen items of value being recovered” by police.
She said “Hawaii is number five in the entire nation in organized retail crime, according to Forbes.”
“And the establishment of a task force on gaming rooms is a vital step to safeguarding our businesses and community,” Yamaki added.
In submitted written testimony, Honolulu resident Ian Ross said game rooms “are not merely nuisances but are epicenters for serious crimes including drug trafficking, violent assaults, and other illegal activities that degrade our community fabric.”
“By facilitating better coordination and sharing of information among city departments, this task force can more effectively identify, investigate, and shut down illegal game rooms,” said Ross, chair of the Makiki/Lower Punchbowl/Tantalus Neighborhood Board, who testified in his individual capacity. “This collaborative approach is essential for ensuring thorough inspections and the enforcement of codes and laws that these operations frequently violate.”
Before the meeting, Dos Santos-Tam’s office acknowledged state-level efforts to further crack down on game rooms.
His office noted that on Tuesday, (July 9) Gov. Josh Green signed Senate Bill 2197 into law — now Act 249 — which expands the scope of what’s considered advancing “gambling activity,” including various forms of material aid, such as maintaining equipment and managing financial operations.
Notably, Act 249 emphasizes the responsibility of those controlling premises — landlords and property owners — used for gambling. The new law includes a repeal and reenactment clause, effective July 1, 2029, the legislation states.
“For far too long, landlords have used a technicality in the law to get away with renting to game room operators and evade punishment,” Dos Santos-Tam said in a written statement Wednesday. “Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community. I applaud the Governor and the Legislature for their action to help us with enforcement, and hope that next session they’ll extend this act beyond 2029.”