Can You Play Poker In Alaska?

State laws against land-based poker rooms may leave locals wondering how to play poker in Alaska, but Ignition and other online poker sites have the answer. These internationally-licensed and regulated online poker rooms legally accept Alaska players for Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and more poker variations.

The Alaska Gaming Reform Act of 2016 allowed organizations to host poker tournaments for charitable gambling, so long as they get a permit from the Alaska Department of Revenue. However, online poker players can hit the felt right away with Ignition, Bovada, and BetOnline Poker.

Alaska Online Poker Rooms

Rank
Poker Room
Bonuses up to:
Top Banking Methods
Visit
1
$1,500
2
$500

Is Poker Legal In Alaska?

Poker is legal in Alaska if you’re playing at home and don’t collect rake. Social poker games are exempt from gambling prosecution under Alaska Statute (AS) Sec. 11.66.200 (b), stating that “It is an affirmative defense to a prosecution under this section that the defendant was a player in a social game.”

A definition of “social game” provided in AS Sec. 11.66.280 states that a 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.” That legal framework makes home poker games legal in Alaska, but the games must be private and amongst friends or acquaintances.

There have been no recorded arrests for private home games since Alaskan gaming enforcement officials crack down on underground poker rings for profit, not casual home poker games where there aren’t profits aside from game winnings. The other way to play live poker in Alaska is through charitable poker events, which are legal under AS Sec. 05.15.100 with a permit or license.

“Gaming activities may be conducted by a "qualified organization" as defined in AS 05.15.690 if the organization has a current permit issued by Department of Revenue and has a "member in charge" and alternate who have passed Department of Revenue's examination (AS 05.15.020). Frequently, municipalities, tribal governments, and non-profit community "improvement corporations" are the qualified organizations that conduct gaming in a community; however, there are other entities that can also qualify.”

Alaska online poker in 2025 is legal through internationally-licensed poker sites. Since Alaskan state statutes don’t directly forbid online poker, these sites can legally take poker players from Alaska.

What Is Legal Poker Age In Alaska?

The legal poker age in Alaska is 18+ for online options. Ignition, Bovada, and BetOnline offer the best Alaska online poker in 2025 and only require players to be 18 years or older to sign up.

While Alaskan state laws don’t clearly establish a legal poker page, most charitable poker venues require players to be 21 years or older to play. This has more to do with the presence of alcohol at these events than the poker itself, but Alaska doesn’t have a specific law naming the required age for these social poker events.

Looking for how to play poker in Alaska? Sign up at Ignition!

Live Poker Rooms In Alaska

In Alaska, there are no permanent live poker rooms, even at the approved tribal gaming halls. These facilities offer Class II gaming, which only covers bingo and pull-tab games, unlike Class III gaming that includes slots, table games, and poker.

Home games and charitable poker events are the only legal ways to play live poker in Alaska. Casino cruises with poker travel to Alaska, but they don’t depart from any Alaskan ports and rather leave from Seattle, Washington.

Closest Live Poker Rooms To Alaska

Since there aren’t any live legal poker rooms in Alaska, the closest options are in other states with poker or even other countries. Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling Hall in Yukon, Canada, is the closest live poker room to Alaska’s most populated cities, like Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau.

Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling Hall

  • Address: 1001 Fourth Ave, Dawson City, YT Y0B 0A3, Canada
  • Poker Room Phone Number For Reservations: (867) 992-0600 (text only)
  • General Phone Number: 867-993-5575
  • Website: https://diamondtoothgerties.ca/games-of-chance/
  • Diamond Tooth Gerties Poker Room Information: Offers No Limit Texas Hold’em, No Limit Omaha Hi, and Limit Dealer’s Choice poker for anyone 19 years or older. The Diamond Tooth Gerties poker room is home to 3-5 tables and accepts same-day reservations via text. Located roughly 500 miles from Fairbanks and 650 miles from Anchorage.

Since poker rooms in Canada are such a long drive away, Alaska poker players are best off getting on a plane and playing at one of the 36 poker rooms in Washington. The Seattle area is home to many prominent poker rooms, including a local favorite in Ace’s Poker.

Ace’s Poker Mountlake Terrace

  • Address: 7004 220th St SW, Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043
  • Poker Room Phone Number: (425) 657-6537
  • Website: https://www.maverickgaming.com/maverick-washington/listings/aces-poker-mountlake/
  • Ace’s Poker Mountlake Poker Room Information: Offers daily No Limit Hold’em tournaments ranging from $50 to $150, even including a monthly WSOP Qualifier tournament. The last weekend of the month offers a $460 No Limit tournament on Saturday and a $460 Pot Limit Omaha tournament on Sunday, both at 2 PM. Accepts poker players starting at 18 years old.

Can You Play Poker In Alaska At Home For Money?

Home poker games in Alaska are one of the few legal ways you can play for money in The Last Frontier. They are legal under a gambling exception provided in AS Sec. 11.66.200, so long as the game is private and without a host collecting profit solely for hosting the game.

Players and the host are allowed to make a profit from poker game winnings, but profiting from hosting a poker tournament through a rake requirement is illegal under Alaska state law. Additionally, real money Alaska poker sites are legal in 2025, so players can play from home that way as well.

Frequently Asked Questions On How To Play Poker In Alaska

Can I Play On PokerStars In Alaska?

Alaska isn’t partnered with PokerStars or any state-regulated online poker sites. Residents won't be able to play PokerStars in Alaska since this online poker operator exclusively accepts players from Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Is Ignition Poker Legal In Alaska?

Ignition Poker is legal in Alaska and has been available in the Last Frontier since launching in 2016. While PokerStars won’t take Alaskan players, Ignition will and even reward these new players who use their most popular online poker deposit methods, which is cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. The reward for using crypto is a 150% first poker deposit match up to $1,500.

Ignition Poker is regulated and licensed internationally, but it legally accepts players from Alaska and 44 other states. They offer daily tournaments and 24/7 cash games where players can sit at a table, play Texas Hold’em, and get up whenever they want.

Is Bovada Legal In Alaska?

Since Alaska has no language in its statutes and criminal code addressing online poker, Bovada and other online poker sites can accept players in the state. They’ve offered online poker for 10+ years, and have mastered the sign-up process for users looking for how to play online poker in Alaska over that time frame.

The Bovada poker room is loaded with huge prizes for tournaments and excellent daily poker promotions. Play with complete anonymity at Bovada’s anonymous tables that prevent opponents from knowing your style and poker tendencies.

Is Online Poker In Alaska Legal At BetOnline?

Alaska online poker players can use BetOnline for Omaha and No Limit Hold’em tournaments. Every Sunday at BetOnline features 30+ Hold’em tournaments and progressive knockout tournaments for Omaha Hi/Lo and No Limit Hold’em.

New players from Alaska can get a poker welcome bonus with up to $1,000 in bonus funds and eight days of free tournament tickets. BetOnline also has Poker Vegas Qualifiers that give players a shot at earning a $1,500 Las Vegas poker travel package.