Santa Anita Park Files Lawsuit Against California DOJ Over Betting Machine Seizure
Santa Anita Park Takes Legal Action Over Confiscated Betting Machines
In a significant legal development, Santa Anita Park has filed a writ of mandate with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking relief from the California Department of Justice regarding the legality of its Racing on Demand machines. The court document, spanning 52 pages, includes details surrounding the recent confiscation of 26 betting machines.
The petitioner, identified as the Los Angeles Turf Club, is seeking a determination that the 3X3 wager—a betting option involving the placement of horses in the first, second, and third positions across three different races—be deemed legal for concluded races, similar to its status during live races. Additionally, the club requests the return of the confiscated machines and the cash contained within them. The state has indicated plans to destroy the machines within 30 days unless legal avenues are pursued to reclaim them.
Central to the complaint is the argument that both the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) and the state Attorney General’s office were aware of the legal parameters surrounding the betting machines but failed to provide timely guidance or communication regarding their status. The filing highlights that both agencies received a legal analysis months prior but did not dispute the legality of the 3X3 wagers. The suit states, “Neither the Attorney General’s office, nor the CHRB, ever disputed [the track’s] written legal analysis or stated that the [track] did not have the legal right to offer the 3X3 wager on concluded races.”
Additionally, Santa Anita Park asserts that the confiscation was executed without adequate warning or a warrant, arguing that the state could have employed other methods to address its concerns regarding the machines. The issuance involved 21 personnel from the Department of Justice and two uniformed officers from the Arcadia Police Department, who arrived with a U-Haul box truck for the removal.
The outcome of this legal action could have significant implications for the future of betting operations at Santa Anita Park, as well as for the broader regulatory environment governing horse racing in California.
