Bill introduced to legalize sports betting in Alaska
Will Alaska become the 39th U.S. state to have legalized sports betting?
If you ever plan on traveling to Alaska, you can partake in activities such as ice fishing, dog sledding… and potentially sports betting?
Rep. David Nelson introduced House Bill 145 on March 21, 2025, which would legalize sports betting in the Last Frontier. Let's break down specifics about the bill and potential next steps.
House Bill 145 explained
HB 145 proposes that up to 10 sportsbooks would be allowed to operate in Alaska, with a license fee of $100,000 that would be good for up to one year. The sportsbooks must be up and running in at least three other states in order for them to be approved in Alaska.
As of the beginning of 2025, there are 14 sportsbooks that legally operate in at least three states: FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, bet365, Fanatics, ESPN Bet, Circa Sports, BetRivers/SugarHouse, Hard Rock, BetFred, Bally Bet, BetParx, Betly and Sporttrade.
If more than 10 of these applicants apply for a sports betting license in Alaska, the state's Department of Revenue will decide the bids based on a few factors, including projected gross revenues.
It's a different story for another sports betting bill gaining momentum in 2025, House Bill 1308 in Hawaii. HB1308 would only allow four sportsbooks to legally operate out in the islands.
Other noteworthy details about HB145 are that Alaska would allow betting on college sports and the Olympics, along with all bettors in the state having to be at least 21 years old. While the state Department of Revenue would regulate sports betting in Alaska, daily fantasy sports wouldn't face any regulations.
Next steps
Like Hawaii, there have been attempts in previous years to legalize sports betting in Alaska, but none of them have gained serious traction. In 2025, however, HB1308 in Hawaii has passed the House and two Senate committees. Meanwhile, Alaska's HB145 first heads to the House Labor & Commerce and Finance committees.
If fully approved, legalized sports betting in Alaska would start on Jan. 1, 2026. But would there be serious interest from sportsbooks to expand out there?
While Alaska is the biggest U.S. state by area, it's the third-smallest state by population—only behind Wyoming and Vermont. Alaska also does not have any professional or NCAA D1 sports teams. The proposed tax rate for sports betting revenue in Alaska would be 20%, the same as much more populated states like Massachusetts and Ohio. If HB145 were to pass, sportsbooks would have to decide if the juice is worth the squeeze in Alaska.
