Editorial: Push to Bust Isle’s Illegal Game Rooms | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Editorial: Push to bust isle’s illegal game rooms | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

It’s well known that many people in Hawaii like to gamble — whether it be social gambling via poker games, or junkets to the bright lights of Vegas. But things turn dark when illegal game rooms enter the scene, as they’ve done in many Oahu residential neighborhoods in recent years, bringing with them illicit drugs, firearms and other vices and violence.

Mayor Blangiardi signs laws to shutter illegal game rooms

With the enactment of new city laws, the Honolulu Police Department and related city agencies say they will have more tools to more easily remove illegal game rooms operating on Oahu. In the parking lot outside HPD’s Waianae Police Station Thursday, Mayor Rick Blangiardi formally signed three bills – 11, 12 and 13 — into law. City officials say these actions will allow police as well as the city Department of the Prosecuting Attorney and Departm…