Almost 40 states have now legalized some form of sports betting. Even more have active bills that could greenlight it. But some states have shown little to no appetite to discuss it, let alone actually consider it. And that remains the case for Alaska sports betting.
To The Last Frontier’s credit, they have proposed at least Alaska sports betting bills since the Supreme Court of the United States in 2018 overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. In their defense even further, non-contiguous states are at an inherent disadvantage in the industry.
Both Alaska and Hawaii, which has also yet to legalize sports wagering, are barren of any pro sports franchises. Their collegiate ranks are light on Division I powerhouses as well. Alaska doesn’t even have one. (Hawaii has a couple).
This, in turn, inherently limits the interest online sportsbooks in the United States have in entering The Last Frontier’s Market. They are more focused on larger markets without legal wagering. For instance, they’re more inclined to lobby on behalf of California sports betting legalization or Texas sports betting legalization than they are Alaska sports betting legalization
At the same time, entering a market takes very little effort from most online operators. Popular United States online betting sites such as DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, BetOnline, Bovada, Caesars, ESPN Bet and more have tons of experience and plenty of resources. As such, they will never advocate against the legalization of online sports betting in Alaska or any other market. Every state, however small or isolated, has sports fans. And that means there’s money to be made.
To that end, the absence of sports gambling in Alaska clearly comes back to a lack of interest and support from the state itself. When will that change? Better yet: Will it ever change?
Previous Attempts to Legalize Alaska Sports Betting Have Fallen Flat
At least two Alaska sports betting initiatives have been up for consideration over the past half-decade. Perhaps most notably, there was a fairly aggressive attempt to legalize sports gambling in 2020.
“In 2020, the state put legalizing sports betting under consideration and Governor Mike Dunleavy even showed support for the bill,” CBS Sports’ Chris Bengel and Shannon McCarriston wrote. “However, the COVID-19 pandemic put an end to its consideration and the bill ended up expiring in May 2020.”
Could the landscape or outlook of sports betting in Alaska be dramatically different today if not for the global pandemic? Possibly. But the economic ramifications of the COVID-19 actually accelerated legal sports betting efforts across the United States in some regions. States were more emboldened, if not forced, to explore all revenue streams at their disposal. Alaska’s holding pattern since 2020, then, is telltale.
Granted, The Last Frontier’s pre-pandemic push for sports betting wasn’t their only attempt. They tried again in 2022. State Representative Adam Wool sponsored a House of Representatives bill (HB 385) that would legalize and regulate Alaska online sports betting. However, according to Legal Sports Report, the initiative stalled out in front of the House and Labor Commerce Committee, never receiving serious consideration before the Alaska Legislature sessions adjourned later that year.
Now, HB 385 did remain on the table entering 2023 Alaska Legislature meetings. Once again, though, it never made any headway.
Since then, and currently, there has been virtually no talk of reprising House Bill 385 or Alaska sports betting legislation. This raises two questions: Why? And when will this change…if it ever does?
Lack of Existing Gambling Infrastructure Could be Dissuading Alaska Sports Wagering Interest
Many point to Alaska’s location, low population (48th out of 50 states) and relatively barren sports market as the forces driving the state’s overall disinterest. They’re not wrong. Location and population are absolutely impacting Alaska’s view on sports betting. You can also only be so motivated to capitalize on in-market gambling revenue when the Alaska Baseball League (ABL) is the state’s biggest on-site draw.
Still, as we’ve noted many times in this space, online sports betting in the USA makes both sports gambling and the revenue it generates accessible in a way that can be utilized by every state. Take sports betting in Wyoming. The Cowboy State has the country’s lowest population and zero pro sports teams. It legalized online sports betting anyway.
Of course, unlike Alaska, Wyoming is on the mainland. States are under more pressure to offer sports betting when they have direct neighbors already doing so. However, what many states also have in common is existing gambling infractures. Mainly, we’re talking about places with both legal casino gaming and state lotteries. Many states end up attaching their sports gambling regulatory processes to departments overseeing those operations.
Alaska doesn’t have that option—not on a large or convenient enough scale, anyway. While they have a state lottery, its operating arm isn’t that large. Because not only is Alaska’s population small, but they also do not have traditional casino gaming. There are no casinos offering slots or table games. Alaska has only two gaming facilities that offer bingo and pull-tab games.
Don’t Hold Your Breath for Alaska Sports Betting Anytime Soon
Without extensive resources dedicated to legal gambling already in place, some officials in Alaska see the legalization of sports betting as a hassle that will require tons of logistical overhaul sans a reasonable payoff. It’s impossible to know whether they’re right.
Chances are, though, this mindset will change. The financial appeal of legalizing USA online sportsbooks feels like it’ll eventually seduce every state.
In Alaska’s case, however, the incentives to legal sports betting are a unique combination of limited and complicated. While we’ll never say “never” when it comes to the legalization of sports gambling, we wouldn’t hold our breath for The Last Frontier to join the fray anytime soon.
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