How Legalized Gambling Could Be the Spark Hawaii’s Sports Scene Needs
Anyone who is up to date with the gambling scene in the United States will tell you that things are not the same across the board. While some States like Las Vegas and New York have a thriving gambling scene, others are much more restrictive. Hawaii, for example, does not enable most forms of gambling.
While many have varying opinions regarding this, it is clear that legalized gambling could benefit Hawaii in several ways. notably, its sports scene could be revitalized if gambling is brought into the picture.
First, fans will be more engaged. Fans of various competitive sports can find themselves more engaged and invested through legalized gambling. It’s one thing for your favorite team to win and to experience the joy of victory, but it’s another to have some financial benefit from this. Just take a look at social media during major games, like with Super Bowl or the NBA Finals, with fans having a financial stake in its success.
In many cases, fans don’t even need to directly bet money. Take sweepstakes casinos, which sea players deposit money to buy virtual coins, which they can win more of and later cash out for real money. Because sweepstakes casinos operate in a grey area between actual gambling and not, they’ve become quite popular. As Andreea Stanescu explains, using sweeps coins to play has been on the rise in recent times, and Hawaii can get a taste of the action that could come with real-money sports betting markets being legalized.
Another benefit is the potential for tax revenue. A look at the news will show that more places within the US are embracing legalized gambling, and one of the reasons for this is tax revenue. The tax rates on legalized gambling can be as high as 50%, and this means a ton of revenue for the government. This, in turn, can be used to fund important initiatives such as education, welfare, public infrastructure, and so on. As such, Hawaii’s embrace of legalized gambling means that various public goodwill projects can receive the funding they desperately need and the state’s coffers can be fatter.
Then you have corporate support for sporting events. One of the things that will cripple a local sports scene is lack of financial support for its events and programs. But a look at major sports tournaments will show that betting operators are very happy to pour money into them. From sponsoring major games to buying kits to even funding training programs, they are usually at the forefront of some of these Innovations. If Hawaii legalizes gambling, not only will more companies enter the state, but more will fund local sports initiatives. In turn, Hawaii can support its talented sports stars in the making and encourage community participation.
There are also company-related events and spending. Many gambling companies not only sponsor things like games and training programs for young athletes but also host events of their own. These include brand activations, parties, charity matches, and so on. While Hawaii has no shortage of activities to draw in tourists, the locals can also benefit from these.
A company-run event in Hawaii will see local vendors receive more patronage and will generate more internal spending. Then there’s a fact that some of these gambling-related companies may set up shop in Hawaii. When they do this, they will hire staff, thus boosting the local economy. The truth is that attracting businesses to a new area is a great way to benefit the local economy, and gambling companies are an example of such businesses. Thus, by pushing for legalized gambling in Hawaii, the state will benefit on many different fronts.
