California · How it works
California Horse Race Betting
Every legal horse bet in California goes into a state-regulated pool, whether it is placed at the track, a fairground satellite or an online account.
Photograph by Rennett Stowe via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
California horse-race betting is legal only through a regulated pari-mutuel system overseen by the California Horse Racing Board, with bets placed at tracks, satellite sites, and licensed advance deposit wagering accounts. Bettors must be at least 18.
How Pari-Mutuel Betting Works
Pari-mutuel betting and betting-allowed facilities are strictly regulated by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB). In a pari-mutuel system, all bets of one type on a race go into a common pool. The track or wagering operator deducts a "takeout" set under state law and racing agreements, and the rest is shared among the winning tickets. At California's major thoroughbred tracks the takeout on win, place and show bets has been roughly 15 percent, and it is higher on exotic bets. Pari-mutuel wagering in California does not mean bookmaking or fixed-odds betting, which are not legal in the state. Odds on the tote board keep moving until the race starts, because they reflect how much money is in each pool, and no operator can set or alter them. This article is general information, not legal advice.
Where Bets Can Be Placed
The main California tracks for live horse-race betting are:
- Santa Anita Park in Arcadia (thoroughbreds)
- Del Mar in Del Mar, San Diego County (thoroughbreds, summer and fall meets)
- Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress (quarter horses and thoroughbreds)
Northern California lost its last major thoroughbred track when Golden Gate Fields closed in June 2024, and harness racing at Cal Expo in Sacramento ended in 2025. Live racing there now runs mostly on the county fair circuit, and track schedules change, so the CHRB's list of licensed race meets is the place to check.
Beyond the tracks, state law lets the CHRB approve satellite wagering facilities, many of them at county fairgrounds, where people can bet on races run elsewhere and watched on simulcast. The CHRB website lists these simulcast-only locations and mini-satellite sites.
Bet Types, Accounts and Age
The core horse-racing bet types are:
- Win: The horse you bet on must finish first
- Place: Your horse must finish first or second
- Show: Your horse must finish first, second, or third
- Exacta: You must pick the first two horses in the exact order
- Trifecta: You must pick the first three horses in the exact order
Advance deposit wagering (ADW), authorized by Assembly Bill 471 in 2001, allows betting online or by phone from a funded account. Under Business and Professions Code Section 19604, an ADW provider must be licensed by the CHRB to take wagers from California residents on California races, and it must verify each account holder's location and age using board-approved methods. CHRB rules require the account holder's full legal name, home address, Social Security number and proof of age.
The legal age for horse-race betting in California is 18. CHRB Rule 1968 bars minors from buying or cashing any pari-mutuel ticket, and the ADW rules define an eligible account holder as a person at least 18 years old. Rules on takeout, licensed ADW providers and approved wagering sites can change. Before betting, check the current rulebook and licensee lists on chrb.ca.gov. Anyone worried about their gambling can call California's Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537).
This article is general information about the law as it stood at the time of writing, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; check the official source before you act.
