Latest articles
Penn’s Shift in Interactive Branding & Strategy Means a Change in Leadership
As ESPN Bet tests its brand power against more established competition in the US sports betting market, its owner, Penn Entertainment, has announced changes in the leadership of its Interactive division. In addition to ESPN Bet, Penn Interactive is responsible for operating Hollywood Online Casino in the US and theScore Bet in Canada. The Levy family, […]
ESPN Bet Launch Day Starts Slow, Ends at #1 in the App Store
ESPN Bet, the sportsbook collaboration between Penn Entertainment and Disney-owned ESPN, launched Tuesday in 17 states. Hollywood Casino, billed as a “new casino experience,” is also available within the sportsbook app in four legal online casino states. The launch followed the August announcement of a $2 billion, 10-year deal granting Penn rights to the ESPN […]
Penn Entertainment Expects To Launch ESPN Bet in 17 States on November 14
Penn Entertainment expects ESPN Bet to debut in 17 states on Nov. 14, pending final regulatory approvals. If all goes to plan, the sportsbook will be available in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The new product replaces Barstool Sportsbook after Penn […]
Penn Entertainment Expands Security Robot Program, Part of a Growing Trend
After a successful trial run at the M Resort Spa Casino in Las Vegas, Penn Entertainment announced it would add security robots to all of its 43 properties. Developed by Knightscope, the K5 Autonomous Security Robot (ASR) is intended to improve safety and guest experience. The robots’ duties will include greeting visitors and offering two-way […]
Life After Barstool: Can Penn Rejuvenate Its Hollywood Online Casino Brand?
Penn Entertainment’s split from Barstool and new partnership with ESPN have attracted so much attention that relatively little has been made of its plans to rekindle its Hollywood Online Casino brand. The ESPN branding will only apply to sports betting, so having parted ways with Barstool and its founder, Dave Portnoy, Penn needed a new […]
Penn Breaks Ties With Portnoy & Barstool, Announces ESPN Bet Coming This Fall
The US sports betting industry is about to lose another brand, as Penn Entertainment has cut its ties with Barstool Sports and its controversial founder, Dave Portnoy. The number of products on the market will remain the same, as Penn announced a new deal to rebrand its Barstool Sportsbook product as ESPN Bet, starting this […]
Small Town, Big Casino: Is It a Winning Gamble?
Casinos, especially full-featured resort casinos, present an economic opportunity. However, they can be a mixed blessing and can seem especially scary in smaller communities that already have more than their fair share of problems. The most common worries are crime and the direct impact of gambling on residents. Easier to overlook are the secondary economic […]
TheScore Bet Launches on Desktop in Ontario as Coolbet Takes a Bow
Ontario gamblers can now access theScore Bet via its familiar app and online. The change comes after the Toronto-based brand released a desktop version of its popular Ontario online casino and sportsbook. Previously, players could only access theScore Bet through the app launched last April when Ontario debuted regulated online gambling. Despite the app-only offering, […]
Barstool Sports Betting Is Coming to Massachusetts, on 2 Conditions
Barstool sports betting is no stranger to drama, and drama it got before being allowed to enter the Massachusetts market. At 5:40 p.m. today, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) tweeted that it granted Plainridge Park Casino (PPC) a “temporary Category 1 sports wagering operator license.” However, unlike other operators given temporary operator licenses, MGC placed […]
Is Portnoy of Barstool Finally Toxic to Penn? Massachusetts Has Misgivings
Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports fame may finally be toxic to Penn Entertainment, which owns the brand. Because of concerns about Portnoy, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) paused to consider the “suitability” of awarding a retail sports betting license to Penn’s Plainridge Park Casino. The Boston-area racino plans to brand its retail sportsbook with Barstool […]