California Department of Justice officers seized Santa Anita Park’s newly installed Racing on Demand parimutuel gaming machines late Saturday afternoon, after questioning their legality under state law.

ARCADIA, CA–JANUARY 18, 2026–Santa Anita Park’s newly introduced slot-styled parimutuel gaming machines were seized by law enforcement late Saturday afternoon in an escalating dispute over whether the devices qualify as legal pari-mutuel wagering or illegal gambling under California law.

According to an article written by the Daily Racing Form, observers reported that approximately 25 California Department of Justice officers arrived shortly after 4 p.m., with one race remaining on the nine-race card, and ordered the track’s 26 “Racing on Demand” machines to be shut down. Within the hour, officers loaded the terminals onto a U-Haul truck and an unmarked van and removed them from the property.

A DOJ press representative cited a provision of California’s penal code addressing illegal gaming machines as the basis for the seizure.

Later Saturday evening, Santa Anita’s parent company, 1/ST Racing, issued a statement disputing the action and defending the legality of the games. Scott Daruty, senior vice president of 1/ST Racing, said the machines operate under California’s long-established pari-mutuel wagering laws and use a wager structure that regulators have already approved.

The machines were introduced Thursday as part of Santa Anita’s effort to create a new revenue stream for California racing. The terminals offered $1 bets requiring players to select the top three finishers in three randomly generated six-horse races, with payouts ranging from under $3 for partial success to roughly $10,000 for a perfect selection. The games were based on past races from tracks outside California.

The seizure highlights the broader conflict surrounding “historical horse racing” style gaming in the state, with critics arguing the machines function more like casino-style games of chance, which tribes maintain exclusive rights to operate in California. Supporters argue the format remains pari-mutuel and skill-based, placing it under the California Horse Racing Board’s regulatory authority

To read more on the story, CLICK HERE to visit the Daily Racing Form.

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