Is Sports Betting Legal in Alaska?

Of all the 50 states, Alaska seems to be the least likely to budge on its strict gambling laws. One of six states without a state lottery (nor participating in intrastate lotteries), Alaska separates itself from the rest with some more of its restrictive laws.

The state offers a very small window of opportunity for legalized gambling, the most of which involves the benefiting of charities. Most of these bets involve quirk style bets such as betting on the closest time in the state sport of Dog Mushing or amount of salmon caught in a fishing contest.

Unlike most other states, even the very few tribal casinos are held to the highest of restrictions and only offer bingo and small pull-tab style games of chance, as opposed to traditional table games and slots. The state of Alaska does not recognize Indian reservations as “Indian lands”, hindering them from opening and operating casinos. See “Alaska v The Native Village of Venetie” for more information.

For most Alaskans, the best way to experience any real form of gambling is on a cruise ship. Even then, they must wait until they are in Canadian or other international waters for the casinos to open up onboard.

For a state with some of the toughest laws across all aspects of gambling, do not expect Alaska to make a push towards legalizing sports betting in the near future. In fact, there is a good chance Alaska is one of the last states to legalize sports betting, if ever at all.