Alaskan Charitable Gaming

Charitable gaming activities include pull-tabs, bingo, raffles and lottery. The Alaska Department of Revenue collects permit and license fees, a 1% net proceeds fee and a 3% pull-tab tax.

Lottery and raffle ticket sales in Alaska are illegal unless sales are operating on behalf of a charity. The state must receive at least 10% of the earnings after the prize. Though the lotteries are for charity, a lottery operator can make a profit by imposing an "operator's fee."

State law requires that if the lottery operator fails to raise the money needed for the prize, the operator must either postpone the drawing until the money is raised or refund the sold tickets.

In fall 2012, Alaska implemented a change to its charitable gaming laws to permit gaming activity to be promoted and advertised on the internet.


In April 2026, the Alaska Legislature passed Senate Bill 170, which significantly modernizes the state's charitable gaming framework. The law authorizes electronic pull-tab systems for qualified permit holders, raises prize limits, allows permit holders to pool income across operations, and explicitly permits online raffle and lottery ticket sales conducted on behalf of charities. These updates bring Alaska's charitable gaming statutes in line with modern digital practices. Certain provisions are phased in, with some sections not taking effect until January 1, 2031.