Guide to Online Gambling in Alaska: Are There Legal Gambling Sites in AK for 2024?

Alaska Daily Fantasy

Alaska differs from many other states in that there is currently no legislation governing daily fantasy games. It is one of just four states in the United States where no legislation has been introduced, the others being North Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. Though there is no legislation explicitly stating whether daily fantasy betting in Alaska is legal or illegal, the contests of this nature are available to citizens of the state.

Gambling Laws in Alaska

Though Alaska has the most land mass of any U.S. state, it also has the sparsest population. So while gambling definitely exists in the state, there isn’t as much of a gambling lobby or legislative push in Alaska as you might find elsewhere in the country. For the most part, different forms of gambling are either completely illegal or unlegislated. That would include any Alaska casino facilities. Land-based casinos are illegal, as are their online counterparts. Though the state does have tribal gambling establishments, these only offer games of bingo or so-called ‘pull tab’ games. Pull tab games are a type of scratch card, where tabs can be pulled from a card to reveal symbols and form a winning combination.

Many locals find ways around the restrictive land laws by gambling on cruises in international or Canadian waters. Here, they can enjoy slot machines and table games at their leisure. Games of poker are typically permitted in Alaska if they fall under the state’s charity gambling laws, meaning no profit can be made from hosting the games.

Alaska Sports Betting

All forms of sports betting have been forbidden in Alaska for a quite long time now. Still, there are some movements towards the legalisation and we are waiting impatiently for more news from the state. The attempts are noticeable and we are hoping for fast development. Sports are quite famous in the state and we are sure that once the laws pass, people will be thrilled. For more details, you can check our page about Alaska sports betting.

Alaska Lottery

As of the moment of this writing, we must report that the status of the online lottery in the state of Alaska isn’t looking good in terms of closeness to being legalized. Actually, this part of the US os one of the strictest when it comes to this branch of online gambling. However, the state has allowed for gaming activities to be promoted. In addition, the folks living there have expressed interest in being allowed to participate in some of the lotteries such as the US Powerball that is available across a majority of the American states. We have dedicated an entire section on this and we recommend you checking our page about Alaska lottery.

History of Gambling in Alaska

The history of gambling in Alaska is relatively short, speaking from a purely legal standpoint. Though gambling has doubtless existed in the state in some form for a long time, the first laws regulating gambling weren’t introduced until 1960. Over the following decades, relatively few more laws were introduced, and the situation isn’t likely to change much in the near future either.

Alaska State Facts

As mentioned earlier, Alaska is the largest state in terms of land mass but the most sparsely populated, having the third lowest population of all the states. Of its estimated 739,795 residents, roughly half live within the greater Anchorage area. The state was purchased by the U.S. from the Russian Empire in 1867, but was not admitted as the 49th state in the union until January 1959. It both the northernmost and westernmost state in the union, and is colloquially referred to as “the last frontier”.

Gambling Age in Alaska

Like many states, Alaska has two official gambling ages which refer to different gambling activities. The legal age for playing in bingo halls is 19, whereas players must be at least 21 years of age in order to play pull tab games.

• Online Gambling Age:
  None, as online gambling is illegal in Alaska.
• Alcohol Age
  The minimum legal age of drinking in Alaska is 21 years.
• Weed Age
  Alaskan Rezidents aged 21 and over can possess and use marijuana in the privacy of their own homes.

Responsible Gambling and Addiction Prevention

The main port of call when dealing with problem gambling in Alaska is the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, which oversees all addiction services in the state and provides information on gambling issues. Players who are seeking help can also contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline, or reach out to Gamblers Anonymous, Gam-Anon, and GamTalk.

Upcoming Regulation and Expected Changes

There are no upcoming changes on the horizon for gambling regulation and legislation in Alaska. The last time any legislation was introduced was in 2011, when it was ruled that a pay-to-play golfing game fell under the umbrella of gambling activity and was therefore deemed illegal. Be sure to check back to this page for any updates on the legal situation of gambling in Alaska. Alternatively, you can visit our online gambling in the US guide and get even more information.

Sports Gambling Guides

• Washington
• Montana
• Oregon
• Idaho