Guide to Alaska Betting: Where are the Best Alaska Sports Betting sites?

With nearly all forms of gambling being illegal in Alaska, we unfortunately have no Alaska sports betting sites to recommend. For the time being, it doesn’t appear that the state will introduce laws to allow for sports wagering, although locals aren’t entirely restricted from other gambling alternatives.

Rather than looking at the best Alaska online bookies that locals can use to place their sports bets, we have discussed the likelihood of sports betting becoming legal in the future. We have also looked at other available gambling alternatives and whether or not Alaskans can use off-shore bookmakers to make sports bets.

Current Alaska Sports Betting Situation

Alaska stands alongside Hawaii as being perhaps the least gambling-friendly state in the United States. While many states have stories that span a hundred years about the changing attitudes toward gambling, Alaska has almost always stood fervently against expanding their gambling laws. Put simply, gambling is essentially illegal in the state. However, the tides appear to be changing, with a bill currently being introduced to the House that seeks to legalize sports betting.

In addition to creating Alabama sports betting, the bill seeks to create a state lottery in an attempt to boost state revenues to fund education programs. As it stands, it is not clear whether or not the state’s residents or the majority of lawmakers will get behind the bill, but Alaska’s governor has voiced his support for expanded gambling to tackle the state budget deficit. For now, Alaskan’s will have to wait and see. In some states, residents are allowed to access off-shore or out-of-state sportsbooks to place legal sports wagers, though off-shore betting is expressly illegal in Alaska.

Are Alaska Daily Fantasy Sports Apps Available

For those wanting something similar to Alaska sports betting sites yet still in a league of its own, we recommend playing Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS). DFS bets can be placed legally at the websites of the best AK online sportsbook operators DraftKings and FanDuel. These are both about as close as residents can come to a legal Alaska sports bet app, as DFS is a form of betting that involves real life sporting events. The difference is that players are to draft fantasy lineups of players every week and earn points for their players’ real life performance.

Players have the choice of drafting their fantasy teams from all major professional sports leagues including the NFL, NBA and MLB. Alaskans can also draft college league games which have proven to be popular with players all over the country. Before sports betting potentially kicks off in Alaska, why not try your hand at a DFS pick? This is a kind of gambling activity that benefits from an understanding of current events in sports, so it’s best played by sports lovers with a knack for research.

Alaska Online Casinos

The only kind of online gambling that Alaskans can enjoy is daily fantasy sports. Outside of that, residents are barred from betting on everything from table games, lotteries and slot machines. However, if Alaskans are interested in playing casino-style games without placing real wagers, it’s completely legal to play online stake-free social games. As far as gameplay goes, it’s an identical experience to the kinds of online blackjack, roulette or poker games found on real-money online casinos, just without the bet. Perhaps the expanded gambling law will seek to bring Alaska online gambling sites in the future, but don’t hold your breath!

Online State Lottery in Alaska

There is no legal lottery in Alaska, making it one of five states in the USA without a state lottery. This will all change, however if the current gambling expansion legislation circulating the House passes. In the event of its passing, the bill would likely create a state Lottery commission that would determine different rules and regulations of the games. Lawmakers connected to the bill have suggested that if the bill passes, Alaska would participate in national draws such as the Powerball and Mega Millions. It may also seek to allow online lottery ticket sales, as Alaska is the most sparsely populated state in the country.

Off Track Horse Betting in Alaska

It should come as no surprise that betting on horse racing is illegal in Alaska, thus no Alaska online sportsbooks for this exist. The closest thing to horse racing on offer is available in the state is legal wagering on what is called Dog Mushing. This is essentially a race between sled-pulling Siberian Huskies, and is quite a popular pastime. These bets can only be organized by non-profit organizations.

How Other States Operate Legal Sports Betting

The exact nature of a legal sports bet environment in Alaska is still up in the air, with many different states taking different approaches. Some states only allow for wagering on sports at physical sportsbooks, while others allow their residents to wager at the best online betting sites too. So far, it appears that states that opt for both kinds of betting generate much more revenue, so it’s possible that Alaska will allow mobile betting if the motivation for legalization is generating revenues.

There’s no reason to believe that most of the major sports leagues will be open for AK sports betting sites in the event of legalization, with some states even allowing for betting on esports. While some states don’t allow for betting on collegiate division games for fear of compromising the integrity of the game or adding too much stress on younger players, Alaska’s relatively small college sports program may mean that this is not an issue. Whatever happens, all gambling will be regulated by a state gamling authority to ensure the activities are safe for players.

Final Thoughts

For wannabe sports bettors and gamblers based in Alaska, the future has never looked so bright. While it is possible that the process of legalizing sports wagering may take years of back and forth in the state’s House of Representatives and Senate, a bonus is there are promising signs that expanded gambling could be on the way.

It’s especially affirming that the state’s Governor has encouraged politicians to push for sports betting, so it may just come down to whether or not the public agrees too. For now, Alaskans can enjoy bingo at tribal casinos, daily fantasy sports betting and charitable betting on dog racing, but here’s hoping that sports betting will be available sooner rather than later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still have questions about when AK sports betting sites may appear? Don’t worry, we have you covered. Keep reading to discover our answers to six frequently asked questions about online gambling and sports bet in the state.