Alaska sports gambling utilizes offshore sportsbooks, which are legally licensed and regulated and allow Alaska residents to get in on the sports betting actions. These offshore sportsbooks provide betting lines similar to the ones you would find in a Las Vegas sportsbooks. They also offer bonuses and other incentives that you won’t find in Vegas. These sportsbooks are the only legal option for Alaska residents who want to participate in sports betting. The state may not have any professional sports franchises, but that doesn’t mean residents aren’t sports fans. As far as any type of sports betting future in the state, that all depends on whether PASPA gets repealed or not.

The main opposition to sports gambling legalization has been the major professional sports leagues. The NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and NCAA have frequently stood in the way of any pro-sports gambling movement (most notably with Oregon and New Jersey).

However, the mentality around sports betting is starting to shift in the United States, and some of the major league commissioners have come out in support of legalization. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has been in support of sports betting for several years. Silver has said that PASPA is outdated and he believes there should be some type of regulated standard. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has been the most recent commissioner to come out and mention the sports betting industry. Manfred said his league would “reexamine” where they stand with the industry, citing the amount of people that already engage in sports betting.

Despite the support from both the NBA and MLB, PASPA is still the ruling order on the matter and would have to be repealed or amended in order for states to begin hosting some type of sports betting. Some states like New Jersey, Michigan and West Virginia have launched legislative efforts to allow for sports betting, but have been unsuccessful so far. New Jersey has made the most progress, advancing all the way to the Supreme Court, however they’re stalled in the appeals process.

If New Jersey can secure a ruling in their favor, they’ll be able to open and operate sportsbooks, which will divert funds raised from the taxed and regulated industry into the state. If this happens, it could potentially lead to other states following suits.

Alaska could take a page out of Nevada’s book in regards to sportsbooks. They could also learn from New Jersey and any other states that manage to get legalized sports betting. While the momentum around legalized sports betting is growing, there is certainly no rush for states to get anything going.

Sports fans are interested in the sports gambling industry, but there are a lot of logistical and regulatory steps that need to be finalized before anything significant can happen. However, given the interest the market is garnering, 2017 may be a pivotal year for sports betting.