Online CasinosAlaska

Q: 🤔 Are online casinos legal in Alaska?

As online gambling is illegal in Alaska, there are no online casinos to enjoy. While the law has never prosecuted anyone for signing up to unlicensed casinos, we would never recommend this as there is no way to guarantee that these sites are legitimate, safe, and fair.

Q: 👮 Are social casino sites legal in Alaska?

Yes, social casino sites are legal in Alaska. This means that you are free to play games such as blackjack , poker, slots, and roulette without making any paid wagers. Keep in mind that these are not real money casinos in Alaska but games that are completely free of charge.

Q: 🏈 Is online sports betting also illegal in Alaska?

Yes, online sports betting is also illegal in Alaska. The state laws are very clear when it comes to defining what constitutes legal and illegal gambling. Until legislation is changed to allow for this, we advise against trying to make any online sports bets.

Q: ⚖️ What forms of gambling are legal in Alaska?

There are very few forms of gambling that are legal in AK. For now, the state’s land-based casinos only host bingo and pull-tab games. Aside from that, there isn’t a state lottery nor any traditional style of casino gambling games.

Alaska is one of the least gambling-friendly states in the USA, so it should come as no surprise that online gambling is illegal in Alaska. In this guide to the state’s current gaming laws and the future of the industry, we’ve discussed the likelihood of legal online casinos Alaska and much more.

Alaska gambling law reviewed by experts
The current Alaska gambling regulations
Future of online casinos Alaska

0 Legal Online Casinos
0 Legal Land-Based Casinos
0 Legal Social Casinos
10 Legal Bingo / Lottery Games

Alaska’s gambling history Popular casino games in the USA

Responsible Gaming
National Indian Gaming Commission

Alaska Online Casino Law

Alaska’s definition of gambling and its stance is laid out in the Alaska Statutes in section 11. The law broadly describes gambling as a person staking something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance based on the understanding that they will receive something of value in the event of the outcome.

It goes on to outline that all forms of gambling are illegal, including land-based casinos. While it doesn’t specifically mention the legality of Alaska online casinos, the law is broad enough to be interpreted that they are illegal. Tribal casinos are permitted in Alaska, though only bingo and pull-tab games are tolerated. You can keep track of any potential law changes here.

Online Gambling in Alaska

In many states that do not permit online casinos or online poker, locals often have other legal gambling options, such as sports betting, lottery, bingo, horse race betting, or daily fantasy sports. Online gambling in Alaska is so restricted that locals have none of the above options, even if in most other states DFS is considered a game of skill, and not simply gambling.

It is possible, however, to visit online social casinos, which are not considered illegal, as no real money gambling is involved, only fake currency that you can’t withdraw. Social casinos are the only alternative to a real money online casino Alaska.

The History of Gambling in Alaska

Alaska introduced its first gambling laws in 1960, only one year after it was officially declared a US state. The law outlawed all forms of gambling except for bingo and gave oversight of the industry to the Department of Revenue. Since then, there have been very few changes to the law.

If anything, any changes to the law restricted gambling further. For example, when tribal groups were allowed to open land-based casinos in Alaska, they were unable to offer table games and slots. There are no specific online gambling Alaska laws, though the current definition of gambling is broad enough to prevent a need for this.

General History of American Online Gambling

Throughout the USA’s long history, gambling has always been a controversial subject. In the past, states such as Nevada and New Jersey have trail-blazed in establishing legal markets, though the advent of the online gambling industry has introduced other big players. The following are the only states in the US with legal online casinos and licenses:

New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement
Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement
West Virginia Lottery
Michigan Gaming Control Board

About The Wire Act of 1961

The Federal Wire Act of 1961 was introduced to outlaw interstate sports betting in an effort to tackle organized crime. The rise in online gambling required the Act to be clarified, and it’s now understood that the law outlaws all interstate online gambling. Due to the absence of Alaska online gambling laws, Alaskans cannot gamble at any online gambling domain.

Black Friday: A Dark Day for Online Poker

In 2006, the federal government introduced the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, making most forms of online gambling illegal. In the wake of this, foreign companies PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker began to accept US players. On Black Friday, these poker sites were raided and shut down, effectively ending online poker in the USA.

For many online poker players, this was devastating to their livelihoods. However, as locals have long been used to gambling’s illegality, this wasn’t a huge blow for Alaskans. Now as many states begin to make the move toward a legal online gambling market, time will tell if Alaska online casinos will become a reality.

Popular Online Casino Games in Legal US States

There are only five states in the USA that have legalized online casino gambling, though this is expected to grow in the coming decade. By looking at how these markets have grown, we can predict which games would be popular if the market were to eventually expand in Alaska.

For the most part, slot machines make up the majority of online casino games offerings. That said, there are plenty of perks to choosing online table games and online poker over their land-based counterparts. In the following sections, we will explore the most common games in states where online casinos are legal:

Blackjack
Roulette
Slots
Poker

Online Blackjack in Alaska

Due to Alaska’s broad definition of gambling and its outlawing of these types of activities, there are no legal blackjack options in Alaska. Additionally, due to the absence of any online casinos Alaska, players are also unable to play this game online. That said, players can enjoy social blackjack games at home.

In states with legal online casino gambling, blackjack has become a very popular online gambling option. In the case that online blackjack in Alaska is legalized, we imagine that it would draw plenty of player attention due to its high return to player rates and diverse betting options.

Online Roulette in Alaska

Roulette is defined as a game of chance in Alaska. As the state takes a hard stance against wagering on games of chance, both land-based and online roulette remain illegal. This will not change until lawmakers pass legislation to legalize online casinos in Alaska, and it remains unclear how much public support there is for this.

Roulette is the most popular online table game at some of the top online casinos in legal US online gambling states. The best thing about online roulette is that there are plenty of variants, including American Roulette, European Roulette, and live dealer games. Online roulette in Alaska would undoubtedly be popular too.

Online Slots in Alaska

Slot machines of all kinds are illegal in Alaska. This is covered by a section of the relevant Alaskan gambling law which states that it is illegal to possess a gambling device. The definition of any such device is any machine or equipment that is used to facilitate unlawful gambling.

This broad definition also renders online slots in Alaska illegal, as a computer too can be considered an unlawful gambling device if used to access online casinos. As slot machines are by far the most popular online casino gambling type, we’re sure Alaskan players would love top slots such as Divine Fortune.

Online Poker in Alaska

As you can surely guess by now, online poker is illegal in AK and will be until the Alaska online gambling laws are changed. The situation is further solidified by the Federal Wire Act and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which makes online poker illegal in states unless otherwise stated.

The state’s small population means that it is unlikely that online poker in Alaska will be too mainstream, but this is no reason to keep the laws as they are. In the event that poker was legalized, players could enjoy video poker or online poker variants of Texas Hold’em, Stud, and Omaha.

Land Based Gambling in Alaska

There are no commercial casinos in Alaska. Instead, tribal groups are permitted to run limited gambling establishments on their lands. There are roughly ten of these facilities located throughout Alaska, with legal gambling activities including bingo and pull-tab cards which are similar to lottery scratch cards.

Alaska Land-Based Casinos Overview

Fred Williams Author and Casino Expert

Eagle River Casino and Bingo Hall	🍒 0 slot machines, 🃏 0 table games
Mic Bingo Hall	🍒 0 slot machines, 🃏 0 table games
Tudor Bingo Hall	🍒 0 slot machines, 🃏 0 table games

What’s Better: Land-Based or Online Casinos?

In the unlikely but theoretical situation that commercial and online casinos Alaska are legalized, you may wonder what is the best way to enjoy the activity. The truth is that both land-based and online casinos have their own perks. For instance, land-based casinos often provide free entertainment, beverages, and food.

Online casinos, on the other hand, usually have a much larger selection of unique slots and offer table games with smaller buy-ins. Also, online casinos tend to offer new players special bonuses such as free spins and bonuses. The biggest drawback to online gambling is that it isn’t as social and lacks a land-based casino atmosphere.

The Future of Online Casinos Alaska

While there are no guarantees, there has never been a more positive outlook for the future of gambling in Alaska. The state has recently launched a feasibility study to investigate whether a legal gambling industry could benefit the state budget. However, with only 700,000 people in the state, a new market would rely on tourism.The current state Governor Mike Dunleavey has already indicated his support for legalized gambling, so any legislation passed under him would be signed into law. It’s unclear whether online casinos Alaska would be legalized in any proposed legislation, but good online gambling sites could be vital in raising revenues quickly.

The Future of Gambling in Alaska

The feasibility study won’t just look at how casinos could help the state. Both sports betting and state lotteries generate billions in revenue for other states that have these activities legalized and taxed. Alaska is one of five US states that don’t have a lottery despite numerous efforts to create one.

With state coffers under a lot of strain in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, legal gambling could provide a reliable revenue stream to benefit state programs such as education and homelessness. It could also increase tourism to the state, so it could only be a matter of time until Alaska’s gambling laws are updated.

Wrapping Up Online Gambling in Alaska: No Legal Sites

Until new laws are introduced to legalize online casinos in Alaska, locals don’t really have any options if they want to stay put. Of course, some Alaskans turn to offshore online sites to gamble. We would never recommend illegal offshore gambling as it can be incredibly dangerous. Instead, Alaskans may want to travel to Canada to gamble.

It’s hard to say whether or not the laws will change any time soon. A lot has changed since Alaska last tried and failed to create a state lottery system in 2003. However, it’s worth pointing out that the effort to do this was backed by overwhelming public support, so we wouldn’t rule out a legal gambling market in the future.

Alaska has some of the toughest anti-gambling laws in the country and there are currently no legal online gambling options to enjoy.

Fred Williams Author and Casino Expert

Gambling in Alaska

FAQs About Online Gambling Alaska

Are you looking for brief and helpful answers to your questions about the gambling industry in Alaska? Coming up, we have answered some of the most common questions about the industry as well as provided links to the relevant sections that discuss each topic in detail.

🤔 Are online casinos legal in Alaska?

As online gambling is illegal in Alaska, there are no online casinos to enjoy. While the law has never prosecuted anyone for signing up to unlicensed casinos, we would never recommend this as there is no way to guarantee that these sites are legitimate, safe, and fair.

👮 Are social casino sites legal in Alaska?

Yes, social casino sites are legal in Alaska. This means that you are free to play games such as blackjack, poker, slots, and roulette without making any paid wagers. Keep in mind that these are not real money casinos in Alaska but games that are completely free of charge.

🏈 Is online sports betting also illegal in Alaska?

Yes, online sports betting is also illegal in Alaska. The state laws are very clear when it comes to defining what constitutes legal and illegal gambling. Until legislation is changed to allow for this, we advise against trying to make any online sports bets.

⚖️ What forms of gambling are legal in Alaska?

There are very few forms of gambling that are legal in AK. For now, the state’s land-based casinos only host bingo and pull-tab games. Aside from that, there isn’t a state lottery nor any traditional style of casino gambling games.