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Just days after California police removed new gambling machines from Santa Anita Park, the Los Angeles Turf Club (LATC), which runs the racecourse, filed a writ of mandate against the California Department of Justice (DOJ).
It was January 15 when the horse racing location installed 26 new gambling machines, but it removed by the police from the state Department of Justice shortly thereafter.
Not surprisingly, Santa Anita filed a lawsuit against Rob Bonta’s office for what it claims was an unconstitutional seizure of 26 HHR machines. https://t.co/KRLlmkgiEn
– Jessica Welman (@jesswelman) January 21, 2026
It is reported that due to the machines that are considered to have a violation of California’s exclusive tribal gaming rights laws. The raid is described, however, within the filing, as having occurred “without warning or warrant” on January 17, 2026.
In the lawsuit, seen by ReadWrite, the LATC says it seeks to return the self-service tote terminals seized by the DOJ. They also sought a declaration prohibiting the DOJ, or any other state agency, from causing the destruction of the terminals.
The Los Angeles Turf Club, which runs Santa Anita Park, is asking for the self-service betting machines back
The 52-page filing begins by alleging that the respondents “unlawfully seized equipment belonging to the Petitioner, who operates at Santa Anita Park.”
It continued to say: “This Petition is necessitated by the misconduct of the Respondents and their refusal, before the raid and in the days since, to provide any legal basis or explanation for their warrantless seizure of the Petitioner’s property, which the Respondents threatened to destroy.”
Santa Anita Park is a horse racing site since 1934 and the lawsuit suggests thoroughbred horse racing in the State of California generates about $1.7 billion in annual economic impact for local communities, with 26,000 jobs supported as well.
According to the petitioner’s filing, the self-service tote terminals offer 3 x 3 bets on completed thoroughbred horse races, where it allows patrons to view handicap information before placing bets. They proposed the launch of the terminals following a long period of discussion between various government agencies in California.
They also alleged that they did not receive any statement of the DOJ’s position other than a notice form given to Santa Anita Park employees at the end of the DOJ’s seizure.
With the law just filed, all eyes are now on the California Department of Justice to take the next step.
Featured Image: Credit to Lisa Andres on Wikimedia CommonsCC 2.0
The post Santa Anita Park is suing the California Department of Justice over alleged warrantless seizures first appeared in ReadWrite.
