Bingo in Alaska: Laws, Halls & Online Bingo (2026 Guide)

Is bingo legal in Alaska?

Yes, as charitable gaming. Most gambling is illegal in Alaska under AS 11.66, but the Charitable Gaming Act (AS 05.15) lets qualifying nonprofits and municipalities run bingo, pull-tabs, raffles and a few uniquely Alaskan games once they hold a permit from the Department of Revenue.

Alaska’s system has a twist that surprises visitors: much of the bingo here is run by licensed operators, for-profit businesses that contract with several nonprofits and run the games on their behalf. An operator might rotate through two charities a month at the same hall. By law the operator’s expenses, including its fee, are capped at 70% of adjusted gross income, and every dollar of net proceeds must go back to the charity.

That money matters. In January 2026 a former operator of Bingo South in Anchorage was sentenced to prison after the Department of Revenue found he had withheld nearly $198,000 owed to nine charities, including a youth football booster club and a D.A.R.E. program.

How old do you have to be to play bingo in Alaska?

Under current law, 21. Alaska raised the age for pull-tabs from 19 to 21 back in 1993, and the Department of Revenue describes 21 as today’s minimum for charitable gaming.

That could change. Senate Bill 170, which would lower the minimum age to 18 and add electronic pull-tabs, passed the Senate in 2026 but stalled in the House Finance Committee in May 2026. Until a new law passes, plan on being 21.

Can you play online bingo for real money in Alaska?

No. Alaska has no online casinos, no state lottery and no law that authorizes internet bingo. The charitable gaming permit covers in-person games only.

Free bingo apps are a safe way to play from anywhere in the state. Our online bingo guide explains how they differ from cash games. If gambling is causing problems, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER any time.

Are sweepstakes bingo sites legal in Alaska?

Alaska has not banned them. No Alaska statute or regulator action targets sweepstakes casinos as of October 2026, and the major operators accept Alaska players.

That legal status rests on sweepstakes promotion law, not on any approval from the state, and several other states have shut these sites out since 2025. Our sweepstakes bingo explainer covers how coin systems and prize redemptions work.

Where can you play bingo in Alaska?

Mostly at halls where licensed operators run games for permitted charities, plus games at lodges, veterans posts and churches. Pull-tabs are easier to find than bingo, since bars and liquor stores can sell them as registered vendors.

We could not confirm any tribal casino bingo hall currently operating in Alaska, so gaming here runs almost entirely through the state permit system. We haven’t listed specific halls because we couldn’t verify current schedules; the Department of Revenue can tell you which permittees are active near you.

How to run a charity bingo game in Alaska

Alaska sets a higher bar for new permittees than most states:

1. Meet the eligibility rules. Your organization must have existed for the last three consecutive years and have at least 25 members who live in Alaska.
2. Apply for an annual permit. Permits run for one calendar year and can cover bingo, pull-tabs, raffles and other approved games.
3. Decide whether to use an operator. You can run games with your own members or contract with a licensed operator, who must remit all net proceeds within 15 days after each month.
4. Respect the prize caps. Bingo prizes are generally limited to $840,000 a year.
5. Spend proceeds within a year on educational, civic, public, charitable, patriotic, religious or political purposes.

The Charitable Gaming Program answers questions at dor.tax.gaming@alaska.gov. For prize and pricing ideas, see our bingo fundraiser guide.

Alaska’s other charitable games

Alaska’s permit list includes games you won’t find anywhere else: ice classics, fish and moose derbies, and Calcutta pools. Some are reserved by statute for a single group, such as the Palmer Rotary Club’s cabbage classic. Curious how other Pacific states handle bingo? See our guide to Washington.