Sports Betting In Alaska
Alaska may be cold and lack their own professional sports teams, but that doesn’t mean that residents are any less inclined to enjoy betting on sports. Due to their proximity to legal US bookmakers, this presents a bit of a problem for Alaskans seeking options for betting on their favorite sports events, teams and athletes.
The state is not opposed to all gambling entertainment, with several regulated forms of betting allowed in the state. However sports betting is a different kind of animal in the legal landscape of US gambling laws. Sports gambling is the one form of betting that is governed by federal laws that reach across the country.
Here we will guide you through the legalities surrounding sports betting in Alaska. We will provide insight into what is and is not legal to participate in, how US federal laws affect your options, and how to legally access industry leading US online sportsbooks that are licensed, regulated and located offshore.
Alaska isn’t known for gambling, and that likely won’t change any time soon. On that same note, Alaska also isn’t known for sports, as they have no noteworthy professional teams or collegiate teams, so the. The Current Online Sports Betting Situation in Alaska Alaska has a reputation for taking a hard line on gambling and that includes sports betting. Residents of America’s largest state won’t currently find.
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Betonline Sportsbook is a reputable and trusted brand that legally welcomes players from the United States, including those in Alaska. They are licensed and regulated in Panama City, Panama, and new customers are eligible for a 50% match bonus up to $1000 on the first deposit. In addition, Betonline provides a lifetime 25% match bonus up to $1000 on all deposits made into your player account. They offer mobile sports betting options as well as live betting and live in play betting features. They cover all major US and international sports categories with a wide range of wagering options and competitive odds and lines.
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Does Sports Betting Exist in Alaska?
Many Alaskans are avid sports betters, which means they visit different sportsbooks to put down money on point spreads, over-under scores, proposition bets, and more. So while it's nowhere near the market of a state like California or New York, sports betting does exist in Alaska and actually makes up a hefty percentage of the state's gamblers. Sports betting in Alaska takes place via licensed betting sites, as the state has not passed any legislation allowing domestic sportsbooks to operate.
Is Sports Betting Legal in Alaska?
There are no forms of state regulated sports betting available in Alaska either online or offline. The repeal of PASPA in May of 2018 has given each individual US state the authority to legalize or prohibit sports betting within their territories, however, Alaska has made no moves either way.
Sports fans in the Frontier State are free to place sports wagers by traveling to one of the states that have already launched legal domestic sports betting, which is not necessarily easy or affordable due to their proximity to the mainland. Another option is to visit legally sanctioned, US-friendly online sportsbooks, such as the ones listed in this guide.
PASPA is now irrelevant, the Federal Wire Act only prevents states from accepting interstate wagers, and the UIGEA regulates the financial institutions that process gambling related transactions. There are not any state laws in Alaska prohibiting offshore betting at legally licensed and regulated destinations. Therefore there are not any state or federal laws that make it illegal to place bets at online sportsbooks operated offshore.
Types of Sports Teams in Alaska
There aren’t any professional sports franchises in the state due to the cold weather and their day-night cycle being hard to adjust to if accustomed to it. By and large, however, there's a lack of sports teams there because there's a lack of people. New York City has roughly ten times the population of the whole of Alaska.
Alaska does have a hockey team from East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), and while it does have a decent following, particularly with the Alaskan Aces, the league itself is small. There's also a summer league baseball league in Anchorage, which has teams like the Anchorage Glacier Pilots and the Anchorage Bucs.
Alaska's State Sport - Dog Mushing
Dog mushing is considered the state sport of Alaska, and it consists of dogs, usually huskies, pulling people on a sled through a long course. These international dogsled competitions don't have the sponsorship of NASCAR or the commercial media buzz of the Super Bowl, but in Alaska, these big events are equivalent to the Tour de France.
Many Alaskans bet on dog mushing, and most of them will do it in person. Dog mushing is a niche sport that's confined almost entirely to a state like Alaska, so you won't find many sportsbooks offering mushing odds.
However, some sportsbooks do have entire dog racing sections, and when a big event comes up in Alaska, you can find odds on a sportsbook. It's not something that's happening with every sportsbook, but the largest ones typically do have something for the largest events in Alaska. This page lists the industry leaders and those sportsbooks most likely to offer lines on dog mushing.
Is Sports Betting Legal In Alaska
Relevant Links For Alaskan Gamblers
Sports betting in Alaska is not currently legal and may not be in the foreseeable future despite a recent attempt from the governor.
The first real attempt to legalize sports betting in the state came in 2020 directly from Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
Dunleavy said legalizing sports betting through the lottery would be a way to diversify the revenue coming to the state’s government. Along with Alaska sports betting, draw games, instant games, and keno also would have been legalized.
Alaska is one of five US states without a state lottery.
The future of Alaska sports betting
Alaska sports betting is not expected to become legal anytime soon.
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Neither chamber of the state’s legislature moved on Gov. Dunleavy’s bill. It’s unclear whether the lack of action was because of opposition to all gambling, some of his suggestions, or focusing on other issues.
Alaska has fewer than 800,000 residents and no major sports at all. That means sports betting companies aren’t likely to spend lobbying dollars to get Alaska sports betting off the ground.
When will online sports betting launch in Alaska?
Alaska would likely launch online sports betting if and when sports betting is legalized, though that timeline is completely unclear.
Alaska ranks no. 1 overall in US jurisdictions for total land area but is near the bottom for population. That means very few people are spread across more than 570,000 square miles of land.
That means it would make very little sense for any form of legalized gambling to be relegated to retail-only operations. The state would generate far more revenue by legalizing gambling, lottery, and sports betting for mobile devices.