California Officials Remove Santa Anita’s Racing On Demand Machines Days After Installation
California law enforcement officials removed new Racing on Demand machines from Santa Anita Park just two days after they were first installed.
Gambling Machines Allegedly Violate Tribal Gaming Law
Santa Anita Park installed 26 new machines on Jan. 15, but they were later confiscated by police officers from the state Department of Justice and the city of Arcadia.
The betting machines allegedly violate the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) because they collect money for live bets. California tribes control most non-pari-mutuel gambling in the Golden State.
“There was always only one outcome out of this,” Indian Gaming Association Conference Chair Victor Rocha told The Los Angeles Times.
“They know it. I know it. Especially after what happened with sweepstakes [casinos] and what’s currently happening with prediction markets.”
However, Santa Anita says the Racing on Demand machines, which offer first, second, and third betting on three past races, do not violate state law for pari-mutuel wagering.
California Regulators Had Already Approved The Machines
In a statement issued late Saturday evening, Stronach Group Senior Vice President Scott Daruty maintained that the machines are legal in California.
“We stand firmly behind our legal analysis,” Daruty said. “Racing on Demand operates under California’s long-standing pari-mutuel wagering laws using a wager that regulators already approved. Attorney General [Rob] Bonta received our comprehensive legal analysis nearly a year ago.
“We stand firmly behind our legal analysis. Racing on Demand operates under California’s longstanding pari-mutuel wagering laws using a wager that regulators already approved. Attorney General Bonta received our comprehensive legal analysis nearly a year ago.
“His office had ample time to raise concerns. 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.”
The purpose of the machines was to provide an additional source of income for Santa Anita’s purses, which have been unable to compete with other states where purse accounts are boosted by supplemental income from Historic Horse Racing (HHR) machines.
On the first day they were available at Santa Anita, the 26 machines handled $11,281 in dollar bets. On Friday, it was $11,465 and Saturday it was $3,854. The total was $26,600.
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