Courtesy Bill Vasser

The purpose of the California Horse Racing Board is to regulate pari-mutuel wagering for the protection of the betting public, to promote horse racing and breeding industries, and to maximize State of California tax revenues.

In 1933, the people of the State of California adopted a constitutional amendment which created the California Horse Racing Board. The measure wrote many safeguards into the law and gave complete jurisdiction and supervision over all racing activities to the State of California acting through the board. Pursuant to these powers, the board passed rules establishing the authority of the stewards, but made the stewards strictly and completely responsible to the board for all their action.

The board, currently a seven-member commission appointed by the Governor, supervises all race meetings in the state where pari-mutuel wagering is conducted. Principal activities of the board include: protecting the betting public: licensing of racing associations; sanctioning of every person who participates in any phase of horse racing; designating racing days and charity days; acting as a quasi-judicial body in matters pertaining to horse racing meets; collecting the state's lawful share of revenue derived from horse racing meets; and enforcing laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to horse racing in California. The state's revenue from horse racing is principally derived from fees based upon a percentage of the pari-mutuel wagering pools, breakage (the odds cents not paid to winning ticket holders), and unclaimed tickets. Additional revenue is derived from licenses issued to horse owners, trainers, jockeys, grooms and others, and from fines.