# Alaska SB 170: GAMING; ELECTRONIC PULL-TABS

Alaska SB 170, GAMING; ELECTRONIC PULL-TABS, is a 34th Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Jesse Bjorkman (Republican); status failed, last action 2026-05-19 ((H) Scheduled but Not Heard -- Delayed to a Call of the Chair --) (as of 2026-11-04).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-SB170-34
- As of: 2026-11-04
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Alaska SB 170
- State: Alaska
- Session: 34th Legislature (2025-2026)
- Title: GAMING; ELECTRONIC PULL-TABS
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-04-11
- Last action: 2026-05-19, (H) Scheduled but Not Heard -- Delayed to a Call of the Chair --
- Sponsor: Jesse Bjorkman (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 3
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (42 yes, 18 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 29

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Bingo players get progressive prize options: benefit, low. State rules must allow operators to award up to $10,000 per bingo session and a $2,500 top prize per game. Progressive prizes are allowed and do not count toward those limits. When nobody wins under the posted progressive winning rule, part of gross receipts carries over. The rest goes to the first…
- Operator estates can briefly continue gaming: benefit, low. When an individual licensed gaming operator dies, the estate can name a temporary person to continue authorized gaming. This permission lasts 120 days after the death. It does not permanently transfer the license.
- Pull-tab players get fixed, traceable games: benefit, low. Each pull-tab series must have a serial number and state-approved sealing or encryption. Distribution is limited to authorized municipalities, qualified organizations, operators, licensed distributors, and vendors allowed by law. Electronic series have at most 15,000 tickets, fixed winning and nonw…
- Newer school booster clubs can qualify: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, school booster clubs less than three years old can qualify to run charitable gaming. Their main purpose must be supporting a school extracurricular or co-curricular activity. That activity must have existed continuously for at least three years before the club applies.
- Electronic pull-tabs gain legal recognition: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, games using electronic card images count as pull-tab games under Alaska law. Electronic pull-tabs are exempt from the rule requiring games to have existed in Alaska before January 1, 1959. This removes that barrier to gaming permits.
- Gaming businesses get suspension and revocation notices: benefit, low. When a gaming permit, license, or vendor registration is suspended or revoked, the Department of Revenue must notify affected operators or supplying distributors. If a distributor loses its authorization, its supplying manufacturer must also receive notice. Notices go by email and through the state…
- Gaming groups get larger annual prize limits: benefit, low. Municipalities and qualified organizations can award up to $2 million annually for authorized games other than bingo and electronic pull-tabs. The former $500,000 annual cap for organizations using an operator no longer applies. Multiple-beneficiary permits allow $2 million annually multiplied by t…
- Electronic pull-tab players face payout ceiling: cost, low. Electronic pull-tabs cannot have an ideal payout rate above 90%. This caps the game's planned payout rate, not the amount any one player wins.
- Pull-tab venues and insiders face limits: cost, low. Owners and employees of paper pull-tab establishments cannot play paper pull-tabs at those establishments. People with access to electronic deck-status reports cannot play electronic pull-tabs at that location. Vendor locations may sell only paper pull-tabs and electronic pull-tabs played on portab…
- Prize winners and organizations face paperwork rules: cost, low. Winners must sign and return receipts for paper prizes of $50 or more and electronic prizes of $100 or more. Electronic receipts must use the department's approved form. Permit holders must keep records for two years if prior-year receipts exceeded $100,000 or they must report under AS 05.15.080(a)…
- Gaming businesses face stronger state oversight: cost, low. Alaska's Department of Revenue can investigate licensed and unlicensed gaming and impose civil penalties. It can inspect specified business records, including electronic system manufacturers' and distributors' records, and subpoena witnesses and documents. For conviction-based disqualification, a b…
- Gaming locations face supervision and tablet limits: cost, low. Operators or permit holders must name someone who stays on site and directly oversees pull-tab activity or the electronic system. The state limits tablets in play to the greater of 10 tablets or one per six permitted occupants. The occupancy-based limit cannot exceed 25 tablets.
- Electronic gaming businesses need separate approvals: cost, low. Operators, manufacturers, and distributors need separate state endorsements for electronic pull-tabs. Operators must file all required reports and have no license revocation in the previous five years. Manufacturers must pay for testing and certification by a state-approved independent lab before d…
- Manufacturers cannot fund venues or gifts: cost, low. Pull-tab manufacturers cannot modify buildings or pay others to modify them for gaming systems. They also cannot do or fund electrical work or provide utility connections. Manufacturers and specified related people and companies cannot give or accept things of value involving vendors, operators, pe…
- Manufacturers face ownership and sales restrictions: cost, low. Manufacturers cannot supply electronic pull-tabs to distributors owned by the manufacturer or specified related people or companies. Manufacturers cannot obtain, use, share, or sell point-of-sale data from paper tickets or bingo. Manufacturers and distributors cannot tie a paper game's price or ava…
- Electronic players get safeguards, fewer payment options: mixed, low. Electronic pull-tab systems accept paper U.S. currency and debit payments, but not credit cards or payments for nongaming goods or services. Systems must show results, prizes, and ticket numbers or series. Automatic game closing is allowed only when the game information card states when it closes.…
- Gaming applicants notify towns; licenses go online: mixed, low. Gaming applicants must notify the nearest city or borough when filing for a permit or license. Local protests can address only missing legal qualifications and are recommendations, not final decisions. Permit holders moving activities within their permitted area must notify the state within 10 days…
- Gaming buyers get fairer, stricter contracts: mixed, low. Manufacturers must offer every distributor the same paper pull-tab prices and quantity requirements. Distributors must send covered contracts to the department within seven days after signing. Distributor contracts with permit holders must let either party end the deal without penalty on 30 days' n…
- Gaming contracts allow pooling, require approval: mixed, low. Contracts can let operators or vendors pool permit holders and divide gaming income and payouts by percentage. Operator contracts can set those shares at the end of each month. Operators must submit their contracts electronically for state approval before gaming starts. Contract changes also need a…
- Gaming groups get limited online options: mixed, low. Permit holders, operators, and multiple-beneficiary permit holders can use the Internet for raffles, lotteries, dog mushers' contests, and derbies. They can also use it for classic games defined in Alaska gaming law. Winning tickets for these activities can be drawn online or through other electron…
- Gaming groups get minimum proceeds shares: mixed, low. Operators must pay each authorizing permit holder at least 30% of adjusted gaming income from pull-tabs annually, or 10% from other games. The same minimums apply to payments to holders of multiple-beneficiary permits. The state must revoke the operator license or multiple-beneficiary permit when p…
- Gaming suppliers face security and registration rules: mixed, low. Electronic play devices must belong to an electronic pull-tab system and cannot be used for personal communication. Connections must use specified encryption standards or other nationally recognized security methods prescribed by the Department of Revenue. Manufacturers must keep current operating-…
- Higher door prizes, electronic prize caps: mixed, low. Door-prize ceilings rise from $20,000 to $40,000 monthly and from $240,000 to $480,000 yearly. These ceilings apply per permit and to each facility where an operator acts for permit holders. Electronic pull-tab prizes are capped at $4 million yearly per municipality or qualified organization; multi…
- Late vendor payments trigger gaming shutdowns: mixed, low. Vendors must cover cash shortages without deducting them from receipts minus prize payouts. By the 15th, they must pay for prior-month sales to the permit holder or its distributor by check or electronic transfer naming the payee. Distributors must disable electronic games when payment is late and…
- Pull-tab groups keep shares; businesses face caps: mixed, low. Paper pull-tab vendor contracts must give the permit holder at least 70% of the game's ideal net proceeds. Only the permit holder's member in charge or alternate may directly supply paper series to registered vendors. Electronic pull-tab vendor pay cannot exceed 25% of gross receipts minus prize pa…
- Vendor earnings capped, charity payments tracked: mixed, low. Upon delivery of a paper series, vendors must pay its ideal net minus their compensation to the permit holder's person in charge or alternate. Payment must use a check or electronic transfer naming the payee. Vendor compensation cannot exceed 30% of receipts minus prizes for paper pull-tabs, or 25%…
- Distributors face gift and conduct limits: mixed, low. Distributors can give each municipality or qualified organization no more than $25 in value annually. Separately, allowed gaming marketing materials have a $250 annual cap; distributors must report their value and locations by the state's deadline. Distributors cannot provide value to premises owne…
- Distributors gain access, but exclusivity remains: mixed, low. Manufacturers generally must sell equipment and paper pull-tabs to licensed distributors with annual Alaska sales exceeding $500,000 for at least three years. Refusals remain allowed for unlawful sales, overdue payments or their history, specified ownership ties, or manufacturers selling no equipme…
- Pull-tab suppliers face local delivery rules: mixed, low. Manufacturers can distribute pull-tabs only to licensed distributors, unless they also hold a distributor license. Pull-tabs and electronic systems must be distributed from Alaska, not directly from outside the state. Distributors generally cannot take vendor orders, sell series to vendors, or deli…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Jesse Bjorkman (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Mike Cronk (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kelly Merrick (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Robert Yundt (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-05-12 | Senate | PASSED ON RECONSIDERATION Y17 N3 | pass | 17 | 3 |   |
| 2026-05-11 | Senate | PASSED Y14 N6 | pass | 14 | 6 |   |
| 2026-05-11 | Senate | RECON TAKEN UP SAME DAY FLD VOTE Y11 N9 | pass | 11 | 9 |   |

## Bill text

- HCS CSSB 170(L&C), 2026-05-15: [HTML](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=SB0170D), [PDF](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0170D.PDF)
- CSSB 170(FIN), 2026-04-01: [HTML](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=SB0170C), [PDF](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0170C.PDF)
- CSSB 170(L&C), 2026-02-04: [HTML](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=SB0170B), [PDF](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0170B.PDF)
- SB 170, 2025-04-11: [HTML](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=SB0170A), [PDF](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0170A.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB 178: EXPAND EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES (became law)
- SB 86: MONEY TRANSMISSION; VIRTUAL CURRENCY (became law)
- SB 104: VEHICLES/BOATS: TRANSFER ON DEATH TITLE (became law)
- HB 263: APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET;FUNDS;SUPP (signed)
- HB 265: APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET (signed)
- HB 239: CRIME/CNTRL SUBST/ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY (became law)

## Sources
- [HCS CSSB 170(L&C) (HTML)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=SB0170D)
- [HCS CSSB 170(L&C) (PDF)](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0170D.PDF)
- [CSSB 170(FIN) (HTML)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=SB0170C)
- [CSSB 170(FIN) (PDF)](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0170C.PDF)
- [CSSB 170(L&C) (HTML)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=SB0170B)
- [CSSB 170(L&C) (PDF)](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0170B.PDF)
- [SB 170 (HTML)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=SB0170A)
- [SB 170 (PDF)](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0170A.PDF)

## Related
- [SB 178: EXPAND EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-SB178-34)
- [SB 86: MONEY TRANSMISSION; VIRTUAL CURRENCY](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-SB86-34)
- [SB 104: VEHICLES/BOATS: TRANSFER ON DEATH TITLE](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-SB104-34)
- [HB 263: APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET;FUNDS;SUPP](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-HB263-34)
- [HB 265: APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-HB265-34)
- [HB 239: CRIME/CNTRL SUBST/ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-HB239-34)
- [Alaska bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/alaska/bills)
- [Alaska state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/alaska)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-SB170-34 (as of 2026-11-04).