Honolulu’s Queen Street corridor continues to serve as a persistent battleground in the city’s ongoing fight against illegal gambling operations, with the 900 block emerging as a recurring hotspot for law enforcement raids. The area has seen multiple police actions over recent years as authorities work to shut down underground gaming rooms that have plagued the Kakaako district.
According to Honolulu Star-Advertiser, police arrested two men, ages 57 and 45, at the 900 block of Queen Street in October 2020 on suspicion of promoting gambling in the second-degree and possessing gambling devices. The same location has been the target of additional enforcement actions, with Honolulu Star-Advertiser reporting that District 1 Crime Reduction Unit officers executed search warrants at game rooms in the 900 block of Queen Street during another operation.
Scale of Honolulu’s Gambling Problem
The persistence of operations along Queen Street reflects a broader challenge facing law enforcement across Oahu. According to Honolulu Civil Beat, there are up to 80 gambling rooms in operation across the island, based on conservative estimates from the Honolulu Police Department. The department has accumulated more than 700 gaming machines in its evidence warehouse, with no one coming forward to claim any of the seized devices.
Recent data shows gambling arrests have increased significantly on Oahu. Police made 115 arrests for gambling equipment violations in 2024, up from 92 in 2023, while arrests for operating, promoting or assisting gambling rose to 124 in 2024 from 109 the previous year.
Recent Enforcement Actions
While Queen Street operations continue to draw attention, police have maintained pressure across multiple districts. In June 2025, according to the Honolulu Police Department, officers executed a search warrant at an illegal gambling room near Hoolehua Street in Pearl City, recovering 16 gambling machines and $3,855 in cash. An adult male suspect was arrested for promoting gambling in the second degree and possession of a gambling device…