Published on: January 19, 2026, 08:53h.
Updated on: January 19, 2026, 08:53h.
- Authorities conducted a raid on historical horse racing machines at Santa Anita Park
- The operation occurred just two days after the machines went live
A mere 48 hours after Santa Anita Park activated its 26 slot-like historical horse racing (HHR) machines, state authorities intervened, powering down and confiscating them.
Officials from Santa Anita assert that HHR machines, also known as racing on demand terminals, comply with California’s parimutuel wagering laws, allowing for immediate bets on past horse races.
However, the California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office disagrees with this interpretation. On Saturday afternoon, enforcement agents from the California Justice Department executed a raid on the prestigious horse racetrack, known for events like the Santa Anita Derby.
The state seized the HHR terminals based on allegations that they were facilitating illegal gambling. These machines replaced the former Horse Wizard Lounge located on the ground floor of the grandstand.
California’s tribal authorities quickly contested the introduction of these gaming machines at Santa Anita. Tribes that are federally recognized in the state hold exclusive rights to operate slot machines on their sovereign territories, provided they have a Class III gaming compact with California.
Defense of the Track
Owned and operated by The Stronach Group, Santa Anita maintains that HHR gaming is permitted under California’s parimutuel wagering laws.
“We firmly believe in our legal stance. Racing On Demand operates under established parimutuel wagering laws with a wager previously endorsed by regulators. Attorney General Bonta was provided with our detailed legal assessment nearly a year ago,” said Scott Daruty, Senior Vice President of The Stronach Group.
“His office had sufficient opportunity to express any concerns,” Daruty added. “They chose not to. We acted on solid legal ground, and as the state opts to contest that now, we are fully prepared to defend our position. We are confident in the clarity of the law.”
Daruty emphasized that the inclusion of HHR gaming is vital for ensuring the longevity of the California horse racing industry.
The confiscated gaming machines at Santa Anita, branded “Final Stretch,” allowed bettors to place $1 three-by-three bets on previously held races. The California Horse Racing Board had approved this exotic wager in April 2024, though it was not initially recognized as applicable to HHR.
The three-by-three format requires bettors to select three trifectas in a sequence. For the “Final Stretch” machines, the bettor needed to identify the first three finishers across three races. Payouts varied from $2.98 for correctly guessing three or four finishers to a grand prize of $10,000 for selecting all nine finishers accurately.
Potential Court Battle
The fate of HHR gaming in California is likely to be decided in state courts. Numerous states have legalized instant racing games through specific legislative measures.
States with enacted historical horse racing laws include Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Virginia, and Wyoming.
Santa Anita Park, which opened in December 1934, has hosted more Breeders’ Cups than any other racetrack, marking its 11th time as the venue for this premier thoroughbred event in 2023.