Alaska is known for plenty of things – cold weather and wide-open spaces indeed. However, it most certainly isn’t well-known for its gambling culture. The likelihood of this changing any time soon. They also aren’t famous for sports either, with no major league sports teams or even collegiate teams. So, if you’re an NHL betting fan, NBA betting fan – or follow any other sport, then Alaska probably isn’t the best place to live.
Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Alaska?
Although there’s not much going on in terms of sports and sports betting in Alaska, the residents of the state have more passion for it than you would think. However, despite the plethora of state sports fans, there is currently no legal online sports betting allowed in the state. The state is more well known for its natural beauty than having a generous attitude to gambling.
There was a ray of hope in 2020 after a bill was introduced to both the House and the Senate. This bill would see the creation of a new state corporation that would oversee the lottery. Although it was received positively by Governor Mike Dunleavy, the pandemic put paid to anything happening – and the bill expired in May 2020 when the session ended.
However, because the state has been hit financially due to a year of low revenues resulting from the pandemic – as well as the Alaskan’s love of sports betting, it seems unlikely that the bill will be revisited any time soon.
The closest thing to sports betting that Alaskan’s can enjoy legally right now is daily fantasy sports betting. As it stands, there isn’t just no legal ‘sports’ betting – there is no gambling at all, apart from bingo and dog sledding (as long as it is run by a charity)
Alaskan’s will have been looking to see what will be happening in the state recently, especially given the fact that legal sports betting has become more available in numerous US states. Although this hasn’t yet reached Alaska, there’s plenty of optimism that the sports betting laws may change.
Alaska Online Sports Betting Now
The state of Alaska is known for taking a strict stance against any type of gambling, especially sports betting. As such, Alaskan residents have no local access to any sports betting venues or casinos within state lines. In fact, it doesn’t have its own state lottery.
Although other states benefit greatly from tax money from the state lottery being pumped into the system, particularly schooling, they haven’t yet been encouraged to take the step.
As it stands, the only land-based betting options are bingo and a handful of dogsledding races run by charities on a Native American reservation. This is the closest residents can legally get to sports betting in Alaska.
In terms of online sports betting, the closest Alaskans can get is daily fantasy sports betting which is available on major sites such as DraftKings and FanDuel. The state has allowed real money betting on daily fantasy sports since it was labelled as a game of skill rather than a game of chance.
Although right now, there isn’t much going on in terms of sports gambling in the state right now, this may change now that the US Supreme Court has ruled to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. This means every US state now has the authority to regulate its own sports betting laws.
However, it is also important to know that New Jersey’s SCOTUS ruling, in the court case against the NCAA hasn’t actually made sports betting legal in the States, it just means that each state can decide for itself.
Up until now, however, apart from the lottery bill SB188, which has expired and HB 246, they haven’t moved forward to change current rules. They have made a positive or negative stance to date.
That means, for now, Alaskan residents can only partake in sports gambling in a certified offshore online sportsbook – or by travelling to a different state with different rules. If gambling online – make sure you only choose regulated and recommended online sports betting sites.
The History of Alaska Sports Betting in
Alaska sports betting, including online sports betting in Alaska, has had a reasonably short history, but if we look at Alaska’s gambling laws in general, we might be able to understand its stance on betting money on what is considered a ‘game of chance’.
Most of Alaska’s revenue comes from the oil industry. Because this is already very profitable, it has never been too concerned with making extra money from lotteries, sports betting or casinos.
Because of this, its attitude is still relatively old fashioned politically – and no real serious push has yet been made towards its legalization.
However, the Alaskan revenue did take a hit during the pandemic, which might make additional income appealing, with a state lottery that could take in between $15 to $100 million each year. To date, there have been limited attempts to legalize casino gambling in the state, but with no success.
A Brief History of Alaska Sports Betting
- 1987 – Mike Von Gnatensky tried to become mayor of Anchorage, backing the legalization of casinos and gambling. However, he didn’t receive enough support to run in the election.
- 1990 – Alaska held a referendum to legalize sports betting – and it was voted down.
- 1993 – Land was purchased and plans were made for a tribal casino. However, the government passed a new law to ban all casinos in Alaska.
- 2008 – A further referendum was held to legalize sports betting in Alaska, but this was again heavily vetoed.
When we look at online gambling and sportsbetting, Alaska has been and remains relatively neutral – as there is no statute one way or another regarding online gambling in the state.
Legal Online Sports Betting Sites in Alaska
As it stands, in Alaska right now, there are no legal online sports betting options available. As a result, many sports fans put their money in offshore sportsbooks and casinos. Although this isn’t illegal, it is worthwhile making sure that you choose a regulated and safe online casino.
Putting your money in and sharing your personal information with any gambling sites based outside of the US that haven’t been subject to the country’s laws is a risk. If there is any issue with the site – or your transactions go awry, there aren’t many options to assist.
Because of the many changes we are seeing in the country, it may be worth seeing what moves Alaska makes in regards to mobile sports betting.
Legal Betting on Daily Fantasy Sports in Alaska
The good news is that daily fantasy sports betting in Alaska is totally legal – and most of the major fantasy sports betting sites are available in the state.
The gambling laws within the US have made a major and important distinction between sports betting and daily fantasy sports.
Because of some very specific legal language that was written in the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, fantasy sports betting is classified as a game of skill – not chance, unlike traditional sports betting. As such, it is exempt from any current gambling regulations.
As such, enjoying fantasy sports betting is an excellent way to start betting on your favorite sports and win real money.
What Sports Can You Bet on Online in Alaska
Fantasy sports betting aside, Alaskan’s opportunities for legal sports betting are limited. There are only two forms of gambling allowed – bingo and dogsled racing – which can be run only by charity.
However, if you live in Alaska and do want to legally bet on sports – then you can always register for an offshore online sportsbook – which will offer betting on all major sports – perfect for betting on your favorite NFL teams, NBA teams and more.
Although these aren’t regulated by US laws, there are extra risks taken. However, most are highly professional and have plenty of security and safety precautions in place.
If you are wanting a US licensed betting site, we would recommend you look at what is happening in different states. The more states that start making positive moves towards gambling, the more chance that the rest will start to follow suit – and you can start playing on a site that is 100% certified in the US.
Before choosing any site, read through reviews carefully, compare odds and offers to see which might be the best for you.
The Future of Sports Betting in Alaska
There is no clear answer to this right now. This very much depends on which way the government decides to go regarding the legalization of sports betting in Alaska. We are certain that it won’t entirely be overlooked as it has been discussed previously.
During the mid-1990s, there were three occasions that Alaska changed its rulings on slot games, riverboat gambling and increasing the tax of vendors that offered in-house betting.
Now we are all starting to recover from the COVID pandemic, there is certainly a chance that another lottery bill might well be introduced in the House and Senate of Alaska, which would certainly be a positive first step towards legalizing gambling in Alaska.
So, right now, the future is unclear – but what we do know for now is that it is certainly still under discussion and won’t be going away any time soon.
Filling Public Coffers
When the state government in Alaska is finally able to focus on something other than getting through the pandemic financially, there is no doubt that they will want to start clawing back some of the lost revenue. It is doubtless that they will at least consider the legalization of online sports betting as a valid way to start filling the coffers again.
North to the Future – Online Sports Betting
The state motto of Alaska is ‘North to the Future’. Although this was originally an expression to represent that this was a land of promise – however, to date there has certainly been no promises made on the future of online gambling. Unlike most other states in the US, Alaska has a vast landscape and plenty of access to oil, which means it doesn’t need to rely on money made from gambling taxation.
Because Alaska already has a very strong industry that has plenty of revenue potential – and because the state isn’t as densely populated as some others, it doesn’t necessarily have the same financial pull as some of the other US states.
However, ultimately, if the court of public opinion starts leaning further towards the legalization of sports betting then it’s certainly now out of the question.
Until changes are made, Alaskans can certainly enjoy taking part in fantasy sports betting – whilst they keep a close eye on the state’s legal situation regarding traditional sports betting to see how the mood changes.
Professional Sports Teams in Alaska
Alaska may be geographically a large state, in terms of population, it is meager, boasting just over 730,000 residents. So, that might rightly lead you to the conclusion that there isn’t much to choose from in terms of professional sports teams in Alaska. Although Alaska did use to have a resident NHL team and NFL team, it never managed to reach the NBA.
However, even now there is still the chance of creating a homegrown Alaskan NHL team to wager on – with the creation of The Krackon NHL team south of the state. This might well see a welcome revival to hockey in the Frontier State.
Legal Sports Betting In Alaska: Conclusion
There’s not much to enjoy right now in terms of sports betting – only charity dog sled races and fantasy sports betting. As it stands, any real traditional sports betting needs to be done at an offshore online sports betting site – where you can access all sorts of online sports betting options. However, this may not be the end of the story. Legislation is changing throughout the US and the legalization of sports betting in Alaska may be something we see in future.
