The Los Angeles Turf Club, which is the entity operating Santa Anita Park, has filed a complaint in the Los Angeles Superior Court
A few days ago, California authorities seized thoroughbred horseracing track Santa Anita Park’s new gaming machines only two days after they were installed. While the move was praised by tribal gaming authorities, Santa Anita representatives claim that it had no legal grounds and are now taking the California Department of Justice to court.
DOJ Seized the Racing on Demand Machines
On January 15, Santa Anita Park added experimental Racing on Demand terminals – machines that are similar in nature to historical horse racing terminals (HHR). The machines allowed players to stake on prior horseracing events in a pari-mutuel wagering format where they played against one another rather than against the house.
While Santa Anita officials claimed that the machines’ pari-mutuel nature placed them under the pari-mutuel framework of the California Horse Racing Board, tribal authorities and California officials begged to differ.
As a result, the DOJ seized the 26 machines along with the cash inside only two days after they were introduced, to Santa Anita’s dismay and tribal operators’ delight. DOJ officials said that they will destroy the seized machines within 30 days, unless ordered otherwise…