California officials confiscate Santa Anita gambling machines days after installation

California police officers have removed new gambling machines from Santa Anita Park just days after they were first installed.

The horse-racing location installed 26 new gambling machines on January 14, only for them to be removed by police officers from the state Department of Justice and the city of Arcadia. The new machines were met with instant controversy, as they were considered to be in breach of California’s exclusive tribal gaming rights laws.

The Racing On Demand machines will collect money for live bets, a service that is exclusive to California tribes. Only horse racing is exempt from these laws, meaning that slot or gambling machines of any other kind are not allowed.

Santa Anita Park launched the games on February 14, reasoning that regulatory approval was in fact granted back in April 2024, when the California Horse Racing Board passed an agreement on 3-on-3 wagering. That allows gamblers to pick three winning horses, winning payouts at different levels depending on how many of the three they get right. The gambling machines offered similar games, although the California officials still clearly deem them as slot machines and games of chance, rather than an extension of horse racing, given the recent operation to remove them.

Santa Anita’s machines removed in public raid

Images of the machines being removed have been shared on social media, with the raid taking place on the afternoon of February 16.

“Something is going down with the new machines here at Santa Anita,” wrote MoneyLineBet on X.

Well something is going down with the new machines her at Santa Anita pic.twitter.com/uXU8Hmgx1y

— MoneyLineBet (@MoneyLineBet) January 18, 2026

“The track’s slots-style ‘Racing On Demand’ gaming machines were removed this afternoon by California Department of Justice agents,” wrote sports and politics journalist Kevin Modesti. “The games’ legality was unclear as soon as they were installed [on] Thursday.”

News at Santa Anita: The track’s slots-style “Racing On Demand” gaming machines were removed this afternoon by California Department of Justice agents. The games’ legality was unclear as soon as they were installed Thursday. Seeking comment from Santa Anita and the DOJ. pic.twitter.com/yMlbmI2B2Q

— Kevin Modesti (@KevinModesti) January 18, 2026

ReadWrite has contacted Santa Anita and the California Department of Justice for comment.

Featured image: Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0

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