n 1917 a group of engineers surveying for the Alaska Railroad decided to bet on when the ice on the Nenana River would break up. That first winner’s pot was $800 and launched a community guessing game that’s continued for more than 100 years. Today, it costs $3 to participate in the Nenana Ice Classic, and interested parties can view the state of the ice via webcam instead of tromping out in the cold to inform their guesses.

The nature of the organization has also changed. The informal pool amongst peers is now a nonprofit corporation, and proceeds from ticket sales are not all reserved for the winner: some are distributed to nonprofit partners, such as the American Cancer Society and the Nenana Public Library, among others.

That is just one of the requirements for organizations in Alaska that organize gaming opportunities. Not all games of luck are legal in Alaska, but for those that are, their regulation isn’t left up to chance. The information comprising Alaska Trends this month is split between what’s permitted and how much money is on the table.