Penn’s online casino gaming platform will get a boost from Light & Wonder’s newest iGaming innovation that will be rolled out in the Michigan market.
Wonder Drops Deployed
A partnership between Penn Entertainment and technology company Light & Wonder will see the latter’s player engagement product portfolio integrated into PENN’s online Hollywood Casino product in Michigan. The product in question is called Wonder Drops, and it is a tool that will interact with online customers, which could manifest in a variety of ways.
Wonder Drops allows gaming operators the ability to offer progressive or static cash prizes and is available on any of the games included in Light & Wonder’s extensive portfolio. It is a tool to keep players engaged and invested in the product and the company.
Robert Hays, Chief Commercial Officer of iGaming at Light & Wonder, said: “Launching the Wonder Drops marketing jackpots system with Hollywood Casino in Michigan is a key step in our strategy to offer operators a flexible system that provides for innovative and engaging gaming experiences. We believe this strategy will redefine how players all over the world interact with the content we offer.”
Penn Rebranding 10 Retail Sportsbooks
Penn Entertainment has announced it is rebranding 10 of its retail sportsbooks to reflect its national mobile sportsbook, ESPN Bet. The following retail sportsbooks will be rebranded:
- Ameristar Casino Hotel Council Bluffs in Iowa.
- Pennsylvania’s three Hollywood casinos in Grantville, York and Washington.
- Hollywood Gaming racinos in Ohio’s Youngstown and Dayton.
- Ameristar Casino Black Hawk in Colorado.
- Ameristar East in Chicago.
- Hollywood Lawrenceburg in Indiana.
- Hollywood Casino Charles Town in West Virginia.
In August 2023, Penn struck a 10-year, $1.5 billion deal with ESPN to use its name, intellectual property and media access to promote its mobile sportsbook. In November 2023, Penn launched ESPN Bet simultaneously in 17 states, and it is currently available in 19 states.
Penn had previously branded its mobile sports betting brand, Barstool Sportsbook, after purchasing the bro-culture media company, Barstool Sports, for $550 million. However, shortly after the sale was complete in March 2023, the deal with ESPN became available, and as a condition of purchase, Barstool Sportsbook was deactivated, and the media portion was sold back to its founder, Dave Portnoy, for $1 and the agreement to split the proceeds 50% with Penn should he ever sell the brand.
The gambit has had mixed results. While industry leaders FanDuel and DraftKings control approximately 74% of the mobile sports betting market, ESPN Bet has managed only 3% to 4% of that sector, according to gaming research firm Eilers & Krejcik.
