Pull tabs are one of the most popular forms of legal charitable gaming in Alaska. While most gambling is prohibited under state law, the Charitable Gaming Act carves out an exception that lets qualified nonprofit groups and municipalities raise money through games of chance, including pull-tabs, bingo, and raffles. The program is overseen by the Alaska Department of Revenue, Tax Division. Today the games are sold as paper tickets, since electronic pull-tabs have not yet been authorized in the state.
Who can run pull tabs in Alaska
Only qualified organizations may conduct pull-tab gaming, not private individuals or ordinary businesses acting on their own. Under the Charitable Gaming Act, a permittee is either a nonprofit organization that operates without profit to its members or a municipality. To qualify, a nonprofit generally must have been in existence for the last three consecutive years and have at least 25 members who are Alaska residents. Permits are issued by the Department of Revenue and are good for one calendar year.
Because running the games takes staffing and record-keeping, the law lets permittees work with others. A licensed for-profit operator can conduct pull-tabs and other games on behalf of one or more permittees under contract, and must remit the required share of net proceeds back to the charity. A bar or liquor store can also register as a vendor and sell pull-tabs on behalf of a permittee. Net proceeds from the games must be donated within one year and used for educational, civic, public, charitable, patriotic, religious, or political purposes.
How the games work and where you find them
A pull-tab is a paper ticket with a set price, a fixed number of tickets in each deal, and a preset schedule of prizes. Players buy a ticket, pull open the perforated tabs, and see instantly whether the revealed symbols match a winning combination. Because the whole deal of tickets is printed in advance, the odds and the total prizes are built into each game.
In Alaska you will most often find pull-tabs sold over the counter at bars and liquor stores that have registered as vendors, as well as at nonprofit and fraternal club locations. For many local charities and community groups, pull-tabs are among the most widely offered charitable gaming activities and a significant fundraising source.
Age limit, electronic tabs, and recent changes
The minimum age to buy or play pull-tabs in Alaska is 21. State law is explicit that pull-tabs may not be sold to anyone under 21, and a person under 21 may not purchase one.
Alaska currently allows only traditional paper pull-tabs. Electronic pull-tabs, which run on tablet-style screens, are not yet authorized. Lawmakers have repeatedly considered bills to modernize the program and permit e-tabs as rising paper and labor costs squeeze charity revenue, but as of 2026 those proposals had not become law, so paper remains the only legal format. Anyone planning a game should confirm current rules with the Department of Revenue, since the law in this area is actively being debated.
Where can I play pull tabs in Alaska?
Pull tabs are commonly sold at licensed bars and liquor stores registered as vendors, along with nonprofit and fraternal club locations such as VFW and American Legion posts.
Find a spot27 places to play pull tabs in Alaska