Santa Anita Horse Racing Gaming Machines Confiscated by State Officials

Posted on: January 19, 2026, 08:53h. 

Last updated on: January 19, 2026, 10:27h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.
  • Law enforcement raided Santa Anita Park’s historical horse racing machines
  • The raid came just two days after the machines were powered on

Only 48 hours after Santa Anita Park powered on 26 slot-like historical horse racing (HHR) machines, state law enforcement powered down and seized the gaming terminals.

Santa Anita Park HHR machines
Just days after they were installed, slot-like historical horse racing machines at Santa Anita Park were confiscated by state law enforcement. The gaming terminals had allowed bettors to place wagers on previously run horse races. (Image: Shutterstock)

Santa Anita officials claim that HHR machines, or racing on demand terminals, are legal under California’s parimutuel wagering law. HHR gaming allows bettors to instantly wager on previously run horse races.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office disagrees with the track’s legal opinion. On Saturday afternoon, law enforcement officers with the California Justice Department swooped in on the storied horse racetrack that’s home to the Santa Anita Derby and Handicap.

The HHR gaming machines were seized by the state on claims that the terminals constituted illegal gambling. The game room had taken the place of what was formerly the Horse Wizard Lounge on the grandstand’s ground floor.

California’s tribes immediately pushed back on Santa Anita installing the gaming machines. The state’s federally recognized tribes hold the exclusive rights to operate slot machines on their sovereign lands, so long as they possess a Class III gaming compact with the state.

Track Defense

Santa Anita, owned and operated by The Stronach Group, contends that HHR games are allowed under California’s parimutuel wagering law.

We stand firmly behind our legal analysis. Racing On Demand operates under California’s long standing parimutuel wagering laws using a wager that regulators already approved. Attorney General Bonta received our comprehensive legal analysis nearly a year ago,” said Scott Daruty, senior vice president of The Stronach Group.

“His office had ample time to raise concerns,” Daruty continued. “They did not. We proceeded on solid legal ground, and since the state is choosing to challenge that now, we’re fully prepared to defend ourselves. We’re confident the law is clear.”

Daruty added that the inclusion of HHR gaming is critical for “the sustainability of the California horse racing industry.”

The gaming machines seized at Santa Anita, branded “Final Stretch,” allowed bettors to make $1 three-by-three bets on previously run races. The California Horse Racing Board approved the exotic wager in April 2024, but at the time, it was unaware that the betting opportunity could be used for HHR purposes.

A three-by-three tasks the bettor to pick three trifectas in a row. For the “Final Stretch” machines, the bettor picked the first three finishers for the three races. Payoffs ranged from $2.98 for guessing three or four finishers to $10K for picking all nine in a row.

Court Challenge

A resolution to the future of HHR games in California will likely be determined in state courts. Instant racing games are legal in several states where specific laws authorizing such gaming have been passed.

States with historical horse racing laws include Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Virginia, and Wyoming.

Santa Anita Park opened in December 1934. The track has hosted more Breeders’ Cups than any other venue, with 2023 marking its 11th hosting of the Thoroughbred major.