Not all online poker sites are equal. Online poker is legal in the United States but it depends on the state. Those looking to play real money poker will find that there are many sites. As a result of Alaska's archaic legal code wording, there is nothing in the state statutes that specifically bans online gambling or poker. As such, residents hankering to place a bet from the comfort of their own home widely use the internet to place sports bets, casino and online poker games.
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Alaska Quick Links
- 1.The State of Alaska & Gambling Laws
- 1.2Sec. 11.66.200.
- 2.Alabama Online Poker Laws Explained
- 3.Is It Legal to Play Poker?
- 4.Will Alabama Regulate Online Poker?
- 5.Alabama's Gambling History
Relevant state code: 11.66.200; 05.15.680
Gambling in Alaska can be a tricky thing. While local contests based in tradition sometimes get a pass, other risk-based outlets are very much frowned upon. That can make it difficult for gambling enthusiasts and poker fans to enjoy their favorite pastimes.
Is there any way gamblers can try their luck in the state of Alaska? If not, will those laws every change? Read on to find out more about Alaska’s gambling laws including a look at the state’s history and a guess at the future.
Alaska Gambling Laws
Alaska has some of the most restrictive gambling laws in the entire United States, largely due to the conservative local legislature. The most relevant codes are the following taken from the 2013 version of Alaskan Statutes (AS 11.66.270):
- (1) “contest of chance” means a contest, game, gaming scheme, or gaming device in which the outcome depends in a material degree upon an element of chance, notwithstanding that the skill of the contestants may also be a factor
- (2) “gambling” means that 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 statute goes on to list of events or circumstances not included under the term “gambling” such as playing certain types of amusement devices and participating in bona fide business transactions.
According to Sec. 11.66.200. Gambling:
- A person commits the offense of gambling if the person engages in unlawful gambling.
- It is an affirmative defense to a prosecution under this section that the defendant was a player in a social game.
- Gambling is a violation for the first offense. Gambling is a class B misdemeanor for the second and each subsequent offense.
The low population of the state – with less than 750,000 people calling Alaska home, it’s ranked 48th in the nation – combined with relatively low activism in terms of pro-gambling lobbying has made changing those laws a difficult task. That doesn’t mean that residents are completely uninterested in placing bets, though, they’re just forced to be more creative.
In addition to hopping on some passing cruise ships for a little diversion at sea (more on that in a moment), Alaskans often bet amongst themselves on everything from dog mushing (the state sport) and salmon fishing to the date on which the first crane will fly into town. These for-fun wagers aren’t regulated and social poker games that take place in people’s home are considered okay as well provided that the operations are not run for a profit. Charity fundraisers that use gambling to generate donations are legal provided certain rules are followed. Those rules fall under the auspices of the tax authority which also issues and controls the licenses necessary for charity gambling.
There are absolutely no state-sanctioned commercial casinos in Alaska. Unlike some states in which tribal casinos are exempt from anti-gambling laws, tribal establishments in Alaska are only allowed to run bingo and so-called “pull-tab” games. Those pull-tab games are also the state alternative to a state-run lottery and feature paper cards with a simple perforated tab that opens to reveal symbols and a final prize. Basically, they’re similar to scratch off cards without the need to scratch anything off. The lack of casinos on Indian reservations is largely due to the fact that tribal land is not taxed independently in Alaska which changes the entire for-profit casino dynamic.
Alaska has also outlawed other gambling vehicles such as slot-style games, table games such roulette and craps, sports betting (other than the exceptions already noted), race betting, and basically any skill-based card games such as poker.
Alaska Online Poker Laws
Online gambling is the subject of some confusion and debate in Alaska. Technically, there are no laws on the books that specifically prohibit gambling online but in 2001 the state’s attorney general, Bruce Botelho, made it clear that he believed current laws (detailed above) already covered the illegality of betting on the outcome of computer games. Things get even murkier when it comes to enforcement.
Though the authorities have indicated that participating in online gambling is technically against the law, there are no known instances in which gamblers have been penalized for playing poker online. Does that mean it could never happen? Not at all, but chasing down poker players certainly doesn’t seem to be a priority.
Is it Legal to Play Poker in Alaska?
Remember those creative approaches to gambling mentioned earlier? Cruise traffic is huge in Alaska, with hordes of tourists regular stopping by to take in the impressive wildlife and stunning iceberg-studded vistas. Cruise ships often feature onboard casinos and once those ships hit international waters or anchor in Canadian territory, the tables are fair game (so to speak) for one and all.
Other than a cruise trip, there are few other legal opportunities to play poker in Alaska. Residents can play in approved and regulated charity games and in social/at-home games where the house does not make a profit. Playing poker online is technically illegal under the umbrella of general gambling laws but participation does not appear to be monitored or enforced. This alone has encouraged many Alaskans to go online and play on real-money online poker sites.
It’s interesting to note that at least two major poker players come from Alaska: Perry Green is a World Series of Poker regular with three bracelet wins and two trips to the Main Event finals while Greg Hobson won the 2012 WSOP’s ante-only event.
Will Alaska Regulate Online Poker?
Though the state attorney general indicated more than 15 years ago that he believed current wide-ranging gambling laws extended to online poker, there are still no specific online gambling laws in the legal code and that doesn’t seem to be something that will change in the near future. Legalization would require a significant amount of public activism and the interest just doesn’t seem to be as high as would be necessary to generate new legislation. Either locals are happy with the types of gambling they’re already participating in or the lack of enforcement of supposed online gambling laws means that people feel safe signing on to their internet poker accounts whenever that want as it is. Either way, the status quo seems to be comfortable for all involved and that’s unlikely to lead to any kind of transformation in the near future.
Legal Online Poker In Pennsylvania
The one exception may be a native push for tribal casinos but there have already been cases that have reaffirmed the state’s position against such establishments. To mount another challenge, tribal groups would have to find a new legal avenue to take and that seems improbable.
History of Gambling in Alaska
Alaska’s gambling history is relatively short and uncomplicated compared to the lengthy legal back and forth that has taken place in many states. Aside from annual contests with long-standing traditions, gambling has been consistently illegal throughout the state.
The memorably named “Mafia Mike” Von Gnatensky ran for mayor in Anchorage in 1987 under the promise that we would bring in casino owners to pump the city’s coffers. He didn’t even make the ballot for the general election. Some say he inspired the 1990 ballot measure that proposed the establishment of a state gambling board but that was voted down in spectacular fashion.
In 1993, the National Indian Gaming Commission actually approved a small-scale casino situated on tribal land in Klawock, Alaska. Construction was already underway when the state hurriedly passed a law that banned dice, wheel, and card games. The casino died before it was every built.
Professional poker player Perry Green lobbied for the legalization of poker in Alaska in 2005. Green’s stance was that poker could be a legitimate way to earn a living and that legalization would help fight the proliferation of underground gaming parlors. He gained the support of state officials such as Senator John Cowdery and Representative Pete Knott, but the results were mixed. Though the government introducing a license that would allow the operation of legalized card rooms, the licensing fees were exorbitant and there are currently no records of any legal poker card rooms running in the state.
Alaska is located far to the north of the lower 48 states, and while AK is by far the biggest state in the Union, its climate is not conducive to mass habitation and even in 2020, Internet connections for gambling on poker websites for that matter. As such, real money online poker hasn’t exactly thrived in The Last Frontier, nor has legal gambling in general. That doesn’t mean you can’t play online poker from Alaska though.
Despite the smatterings of social gamblers and betting fans interspersed between Alaska’s snowy mountains, the state’s citizens have yet to embrace the idea of a regulated Internet poker and legal gambling bill.
Right now there isn’t exactly a massive hunger for Internet poker rooms in AK. If anything, the widely Republican state has proven vehemently opposed to lawful gambling, deeming it a terrible vice and a source of moral corruption.
Still, live real money Texas Hold’em poker is still technically legal in Alaska – you just wouldn’t know it.
Get ready to pull up a seat and test out your skills on the table. Gamblers in The Last Frontier can play at a real money US poker site.
Alaska Legalizes Card Rooms, With Restrictions
Quick Jump
- 4 The Facts
Shortly thereafter, card rooms were legalized in Alaska, although the government made procuring a license to operate a facility exceedingly difficult. For one, the licensing fee was set at $25,000 plus a $10,000 annual renewal rate – per real cash poker table [2]. That alone eliminated all but the biggest lawful gambling players from opening up a card room in Alaska.
To date, we have been unable to find any accounts of legit poker card rooms currently operating in AK and you won’t find any tribal legal live poker venues in Alaska.
Can Players From Alaska Play Online Poker?
Sure, as long as they’ve got a stable Internet connection, there is very little preventing Alaskans from hitting the virtual green felt at real money poker websites in 2020. Our top recommended real-money US poker sites all accept Texas Hold’em poker players from Alaska – good news considering that Alaska’s severe climate isn’t exactly compatible with too many outdoor activities.
Signing up for an Internet poker website account from a cabin in Anchorage is as easy as it is in a sky-rise in New York. Simply provide a few pieces of pertinent information, then log in, make your first deposit and start your poker gambling straight away.
Is Online Poker Legal In Alaska?
While Alaskan law doesn’t specifically address the issue of online poker websites, its general poker gambling laws are quite strict in nature. That being said, most of Alaska’s gambling statutes are targeted towards illicit operators, not those actual poker players betting in underground games.
And while you should always seek professional advice before participating in an act that’s not clearly defined as legal or illegal, you can take comfort in knowing that as of 2015 there are no accounts of online poker players in Alaska being prosecuted for wagering funds online at Internet poker websites.
To fully grasp the language of the law, it is important to understand how Alaska defines poker gambling and other forms of betting:
Gambling means that 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.
Section 11.66.280(2).
Because Alaska does not explicitly define poker as a game of skill, it falls under the scope of gambling both in the real world and virtually at poker betting websites on the Internet.
Don’t panic though, overall the state of Alaska goes pretty easy on poker players betting on the internet and in underground games, noting several exceptions including one for social gaming:
Social game means gambling in a home where no house player, house bank, or house odds exist and where there is no house income from the operation of the game.
Section 11.66.280(9).
In other words, if the house isn’t charging a rake or entry fee for you to play real cash poker, then the game is legal. But then what are the penalties for players participating in a raked Texas Hold’em game?
Alaskan law merely states that unlawful gambling is a violation for the first offense. Subsequent offenses are considered a class B misdemeanor – not exactly a slap on the wrist, but far less severe than the penalties levied against illegal poker gambling operators who run poker websites from inside Alaska.
A person commits the crime of promoting gambling in the first degree if the person promotes or profits from an unlawful gambling enterprise. Promoting gambling in the first degree is a class C felony.
Section 11.66.210(a-b).
To fully grasp this definition we can turn to the definition of gambling enterprise:
Gambling enterprise means a gambling business that includes five or more persons who conduct, finance, manage, supervise, direct, or own all or part of the business; has been or remains in substantially continuous operation for a period in excess of 30 days or has a gross income of $2,000 or more in any single day…, and is not sanctioned by the state to conduct operations.
Other gambling operators are subject to class A misdemeanors.
Overall, Alaska’s 2020 online poker and gambling laws are far from the strictest we’ve seen. They could still potentially be interpreted to read that all forms of poker, including Internet poker gambling, are illegal but the lack of prosecutions proves that AK law enforcement have got bigger, more serious issues on their mind.
To review Alaskan gambling law [3], please click on the link located in the “References” section.
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The Facts
The History Of Gambling In Alaska
The Yukon Gold Rush of the late-19th century brought approximately 100,000 prospectors to Alaska, The Last Frontier. And while all but 4,000 would go home empty, of the ones that struck it rich many would gamble real cash and drink their money away at one of Alaska’s makeshift saloons [4].
Keep in mind that at the time, Alaska was not yet granted statehood, and as such, there were very few regulations preventing settlers from participating in real money poker betting.
But it wouldn’t be until the 1990s that the gambling issue would be addressed by the government. During that time, a law was enacted preventing charitable Monte Carlo nights. Known by some as casino nights, Alaska’s more conservative state officials feared that legal mock gambling events would compel the state’s tribes to lobby for the opening of fully fledged legit casinos. Today in 2020, only very limited lawful real cash charitable gambling events are permitted by the AK state.
In 2005, poker, bridge, rummy and other games were legalized in Alaska, but only under very rigid conditions. Tribal facilities exist now, but they only support pull tab and bingo games not real money poker or casino games and thus are not considered casinos.
By 2008, the state asked voters for their opinion regarding the establishment of a gambling commission. They reneged and the citizens of Alaska never got their chance to vote on the issue. Since then no other forms of gambling have been legalized or even addressed, and as of 2015 there have been no legal or public discussions about regulating Internet poker.
Regulated Gambling Options In Alaska
Although pari-mutuel wagering is not permitted, Alaska makes several notable legal exceptions for dog mushing and fishing competitions and gambling on both of these events is still completely legit in 2020.
Commercial and tribal casinos offering real cash betting on poker games like Texas Hold’em are not legal in Alaska in 2020. Alaska is one of only a handful of US states that doesn’t boast a state lottery. Charitable gambling is permissible, but limited.
In short, gamblers who enjoy spending their winters sitting around the green felt gambling on poker might have to go out of state in [getYar].
The Future Of Regulated Online Gambling In Alaska
It’s been around a decade since Alaska has bent its rigid gambling laws, and even that was a minor victory for pro-gambling advocates, of which there are few.
In general, most of Alaska’s citizens are apathetic towards Internet poker gambling in 2020 and other land based betting games, and could hardly be expected to support a gambling bill that would make poker websites legal. This doesn’t bode well for the future of state regulated Internet Texas Hold’em gambling in the Last Frontier.
The legalization of live poker provided hope and little else, as there are still no heavily traversed real cash poker card rooms in Alaska. And without a brick and mortar facility to latch onto, the odds of an Internet gambling company exhibiting interest in operating lawful poker betting websites out of Alaska in 2020 are not great.
Fun Fact
Besides Perry Green, who won three WSOP bracelets during his real money poker playing career, Greg Hobson [5]is the most notable poker player from Alaska.
In 2012, Hobson won the WSOP $1,500 NLHE Ante Only event. His victory was good for $256,691. The very next year he finished 11th in a 6-max poker gambling event.
The Bottom Line
With a population that is 700,000 strong, and with many who do not possess an Internet connection, Alaska is not exactly a top candidate to regulate online legal poker websites for 2020. Not only are its citizens largely opposed to Internet gambling but there are also no prominent pro poker betting lobbyists residing in AK state.
Compounding matters, Alaska is located so far from the lower 48 states, that its prospects of forging an interstate lawful poker gambling compact are minimal at best. Plus, let’s not forget that the proper Internet gambling oversight committees have yet to be put in place in AK.
Sorry Alaskans, regulated online real cash poker Texas Hold’em websites won’t be coming to your cabins anytime soon but who knows what’ll happen once the year is over.
References
[1] ↑Alaska Ponders Legalizing Poker
[2] ↑Alaska Gambling: Pulltabs, Casinos & Poker
[3] ↑Alaska Statutes 2013
[4] ↑Klondike Gold Rush
Best Legal Online Poker Sites
[5] ↑Hendon Mob – Greg Hobson
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