Alaska Gambling

Gambling in Alaska can be a tricky business. With a variety of laws and areas of thick bureaucracy to overcome, the gambling business must often jump through a series of hoops before even being allowed to discuss an area of gambling within the state of Alaska. Within the state of Alaska, the only way to legalise any form of gambling, from a lottery to a casino, the company concerned must put forward a discussion toward the State House, who will then discuss and vote on the bill. This is simply because they have yet to allow any form of Alaskan gambling without any permits from the State House and the government to date.

The Alaskan State House had a continuing trend for an extended period of time throughout the past few decades of simply not allowing any form of gambling at all, from the simple games like poker to even a lottery. This seemingly progressing negative trend has recently had a large bump in it. In May of 2005, the State House voted to legalise: poker, bridge, pan, rummy and cribbage. This is a brilliant step, as it also opened up the possibility of having large casinos that were legal, and had large payouts to the customers and tourists who used them.

The recent legalisation of card rooms is a brilliant step towards a full and open casino industry in Alaska. With the additions of legal card rooms all over the state, this means that people will have larger access to the ‘casinos’ across the state. Increasing the levels of tourism into the state. As thousands of people visit Alaska every year, a flourishing card room industry will further help to increase the levels of tourism into the state.

Although, there are still rather strict guidelines to follow when discussing card rooms. To start of with, there is the application fee, which is: $25,000, with an annual licence fee of $10,000, per table. This is a large expense that many people cannot afford to produce. However, those who do and can afford this fee, the card rooms that they will set up with give the state an increase in jobs, and it will also start a new industry within the state. Something that every state always needs: more jobs, more industry and more entertainment.

This sentiment is shared with many of the Alaskan business owners. “Card games are entertainment and more entertainment is needed in the state, not just for locals but tourists who visit,” said Ethan Billings, owner of Marlintini's Lounge. With many business owners in Alaska pressing for more entertainment, which would help increase tourism, the Alaskan government seems to be changing their views on gambling. Card Rooms are now allowed, although, as mentioned, they are required to follow strict guidelines.

Within the past few years, video poker has become a larger issue for the Alaska government to deal with. A decent majority of the people want to play video poker; this will increase the demand for the ‘slot machine’ type machine that video poker uses.  With this type of machine installed into the areas of Alaska, which are considered legal, it would increase the levels of tourism to those areas. As Alaska is relatively large, but there are few people who live there, people are prepared to travel to fulfil their pleasures; in this simple case, they want to go to a friendly environment and play video poker.

When it comes to Native Alaskan land, or Indian land, the laws are a little more lenient. To simplify the current laws on native land, if the state of Alaska allows a certain form of gambling, then it is allowed on native land, regardless of many restrictions in place on US territory. Although there are other loopholes and additional guidelines, this is the current law on native land, which is a beneficial thing for many Alaskans. As it allows pull-tabs to be in a single place, a sort of casino, for many people to gather to spend a little money at the possibility of a larger reward.

Pull-tabs have been available in bars across Alaska for some time now, and many people who are at the bar will purchase them or use them in a way that they feel is correct. Although many of the religious and moral leaders feel that this attitude is frivolous, it has benefited the community in taxes. With the legalisation of pull-tabs, the native lands have taken the idea happily. The more pull-tabs that are sold on native land, the more beneficial for the government, as it costs a considerable amount of money to keep the native lands in a decent order. Pull-tabs, amongst other areas, such as poker and other card games are legal on US land, and will continue to be. The current trend in opening up the gambling market is a beneficial statement to many people, from tourists to the Alaskans themselves.

Casinos are still in the main processes of becoming completely legal, and although many people are arrested for illegal gambling, the gambling industry is gaining speed in growth and acceptance within Alaska. Although it is still vigorously opposed, the local Alaskans also increasingly support it. Owing to this divide, and multiple other factors, the guidelines that must be followed by the establishments are incredibly strict. The current legislation states that an area that is allowed a casino, on US territory, are areas that have the minimum of 150,000 residents. The closest city in Alaska at this moment in time that has this level of population is Anchorage, so it is looked upon as a gem within the state for gamblers.

Thus, people will travel for many miles around to gain access to a variety of gambling based entertainment, as, in South West Alaska, there is little gambling entertainment. The increasing tourism is beneficial to the city of Anchorage and the surrounding area, with the predicted levels of tourism; it is possible that the legislation will be reduced. Which would increase the levels of jobs and industry in the state.