Gambling Laws In Alaska
On top of the many federal laws which govern gambling in the United States such as the Federal Wire Act and the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, there is plenty of space left in between the lines for each state to have its own legislation in regards to gambling. While the national laws make it illegal to facilitate a bet or engage in the business of gambling, it is perfectly okay for a citizen to place a bet or wager without fear of penalty.
However, the state of Alaska has its own laws which regulate and/or forbid certain types of gambling and this page is provided to inform Alaska residents on how to safely and legally place bets in the land of the midnight sun while knowing the safe places to go to make such wagers.
Gambling is defined in the Alaska statutes as occurring when “a person stakes or risks something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event not under the person's control or influence, upon an agreement or understanding that that person or someone else will receive something of value in the event of a certain outcome”. The act of gambling is indeed made illegal by state law and referred to as a “Violation” for a first offense and a class B misdemeanor for the second and each subsequent offense.
Alaska residents may however be happy to know though that it is clearly written within the Alaska state gambling law that it is an affirmative defense to simply say that that any sort of gambling that took place was a “social game” and legal under state law. There has never been one instance of unlawful gambling enforcement in the state and residents in Alaska are largely left alone in regards to gambling. The average bettor, player or gambler can rest easy in knowing that the laws in place are meant to go after large racketeering schemes and those who operate gambling businesses.
Again, Alaska residents are safe when it comes to the State's laws as is the case with federal law, provided they do not engage in the business of gambling or try to make a go at becoming a bookmaker. Unlawful gambling in Alaska is defined as “not specifically authorized by law” which leaves a lot of room for interpretation by locals. “Social games” as mentioned earlier, means gambling in a home where no house bank or house odds exist and there is no house income generated from the operation of a game. This frees up a lot of Alaska residents to play poker games behind closed doors with stakes set at whatever they wish among friends and family.
Although sports betting is not regulated in the state of Alaska, there is no specific mention of it in the state gambling laws. We can assume that it is indeed gambling and not legal to engage in mainly because the law outright bans the existence of any bookmakers. The law specifically states that no person may possess gambling records intended to be used in the operation of an unlawful gambling enterprise. Since sports betting requires a bookmaker to make odds and betting lines, Alaska residents will be hard pressed to try and convince an Alaska judge that their underground sports betting house was a social game (Although there may even be room to successfully pull that off, we don’t recommend it!) Casinos are not allowed to operate in Alaska however there are 8 small tribal casinos spread across the state offering slots, bingo and pull tabs.
Land-Based Gambling In Alaska
Since the facilitation of gambling is highly illegal in Alaska, you won’t find too many brick and mortar buildings willing to allow you to place a wager or risk some cash for a jackpot. As is the case with many other states in the country, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act has made it possible for tribal casinos to exist but only in limited capacities.
The eight tiny casinos only offer a few slots, bingo, pull tabs and a tiny selection of table games and are run by the small Metlakatla Indian Community. Some of these destinations are outrageously difficult to reach as well unless residents live nearby such as the Native Village Barrow Pulls Tabs in the northernmost point of the U.S. There is also the isolated Atka Ira Council which lies in the middle of the Bering Sea upon the Aleutian Islands.
Poker games have been made legal in the state but there are currently no open card rooms available in the state due to the high licensing and renewal fees. Playing poker in a private residence as a “social game” is legal however and the state has not imposed any specific regulations on such games other than that the house does not take a rake.
Online Gambling In Alaska
There are no specific laws in regards to online gambling in the state of Alaska as many residents do indeed accept membership offered by many different sites which legally operate outside of U.S. and Alaska jurisdiction. The current laws in place can be interpreted however to mean that online gambling is illegal either on land or online, although there has never been one instance involving online gambling as an offense.
The law is not very enforceable either as there is no regulation or monitoring of any Alaska resident’s internet habits. In short, residents of the midnight sun who tread lightly and act discreetly should not run into any trouble using a foreign-based respectable online gambling, casino, sports betting or card room. Sites which exist in nearby Canada and offer legal online gambling in the forms of Poker, sports betting and casinos are among the most popular.
Popular Gambling Options In Alaska:
Online Sportsbooks - Online Casinos - Online Poker
One particular site which is highly recommend to residents of Alaska is the long successful online gambling site, Bovada.lv. Based within neighboring Canada, this online gambling site is closer to most Alaska residents than those who live in the lower 48 states. Having been in business for nearly 20 years, this online sportsbook offers every form of gambling whether it be pulling levers on virtual slots, placing bets on major American sports teams or taking a seat at one of the site’s many online poker tables.
Bovada has a long list of member testimonials which cite positive experiences with consistent payouts, reliable and secure transactions, sterling customer service and flawless site design. Bovada indeed stands above the rest of Alaska gambling sites and signing up only takes moments and even comes along with impressive bonuses and perks for eliciting their services. New members can expect a 50% sign up bonus worth up to $250 in their fabulous online sportsbook.
| Best Overall Betting Sites | Sports? | Casino? | Poker? | Horses? | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bovada | YES! | YES! | YES! | YES! | Play Now! |
| BetOnline | YES! | YES! | YES! | YES! | Play Now! |
| SportsBetting | YES! | YES! | YES! | YES! | Play Now! |
In Alaska, the legal gambling age is 19. We do not recommend violating this policy as it could lead to steep punishments from both your home state and whichever agency you are found gambling with. Check our page on legal gambling age for more details.
Best For All Gaming Types
