Alaska is truly ‘The Last Frontier’, sitting across the Bering Strait from mainland Russia.
It may be the biggest U.S. state in terms of landmass, but it has no major sports teams and a tiny population of around 731,000 (2020).
With that in mind it’s unlikely that Alaska will be on the list of sportsbooks looking to capitalize on the betting Gold Rush..
There have been attempts to get it on the legislative agenda, but so far, no dice.
Is sports betting legal in Alaska?
Sports betting is not legal in the state of Alaska, though it would at least give the natives another pursuit and interest during the long winter months.
Governor Mike Dunleavy put forward a bill to legalize sports betting in 2020, but it never had a chance for sign-off, as the COVID-19 pandemic cut short the potential window to pass it.
It’s expected there will be another bid for legalization in 2021.
Legal sports betting near Alaska
With Alaska not even close to bordering any mainland U.S. states, your options to get on the sports betting trail are pretty limited.
Washington is the nearest state with Seattle around 1300 miles away, but in reality your best bet may be to hop on a flight to Nevada. If you’re going to travel, you may as well get the full experience.
You can fly non-stop to Las Vegas from Alaska for part of the year (just over five hours), while the rest of the calendar has one-stop options at just under seven hours.
Once in the state of Nevada, you can be online and via your mobile phone. Of course there are also plenty of retail options on the Strip. You’ll need to be aged 21 or older to bet.
Are offshore sportsbooks legal in Alaska?
Offshore sportsbooks are not legal in Alaska, and they won’t be even if the state ever opens up sports betting.
These sportsbooks do not have a license to operate in any U.S. jurisdiction, so there’s a danger for you if you sign up with them.
You have no consumer protection if you do sign up with offshore sportsbooks. Why put your money at risk?