Honolulu police say an alleged illegal gambling operation in Nanakuli has been shut down after officers carried out a search warrant on Hakimo Road.
The warrant was served on June 4 by the Honolulu Police Department’s Narcotics/Vice Gambling Detail with support from the District 8 Crime Reduction Unit and the Specialized Services Division. According to police, officers entered the game room and recovered gambling equipment along with cash believed to be connected to the operation.
Investigators reported seizing 14 gaming machines during the search. The department did not disclose how much money was recovered and did not announce any arrests or criminal charges in its statement.
Recovery follows warrant execution during Nanakuli gambling raid
Police identified the location as an illegal gambling-type game room and said the enforcement action resulted in the closure of the operation. The department highlighted the recovery of the machines as a primary outcome of the search and said cash was also taken from the site.
The Nanakuli case is the latest in a series of gambling-related investigations across Oʻahu. In March, officers served a warrant at a suspected gambling room in Wahiawā along Mala Street. During that operation, investigators removed 10 gambling machines and seized more than $5,000 in cash. Police said the search was conducted by the Narcotics and Vice Division with assistance from the District 2 Crime Reduction Unit and the Specialized Services Division.
A similar enforcement action took place in Pearl City in June 2025. Officers executing a search warrant near Hoolehua Street recovered 16 gambling machines and $3,855 in cash. Police also arrested a man on suspicion of promoting gambling in the second degree and possession of a gambling device.
Another Honolulu gambling investigation later that year resulted in the seizure of 16 machines and more than $5,000 in cash from a suspected backroom operation. It was also carried out by a combination of vice investigators, crime reduction personnel, and specialized police units.
The continuing enforcement activity comes as city leaders have sought stronger tools to address illegal gambling. In 2025, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi introduced and later signed measures aimed at curbing backroom gambling operations. The legislation increased penalties tied to the number of gaming devices discovered and expanded the authority available to police and property owners dealing with suspected gambling activity.
Hawaii remains one of the few states without a state lottery and continues to maintain some of the strictest gambling laws in the country. Debate over legalized sports betting has continued in recent years, although concerns about gambling-related crime and social harms remain part of the discussion. One critic of a gambling proposal previously described it as “a turd”.
For now, police say enforcement efforts against illegal gambling rooms across the island are continuing.
Featured image: Honolulu Police Department via Facebook
