Penn Interactive sticks to Q3 Barstool Sportsbook launch date
Operator in process of hiring senior marketing execs to push upcoming product, including GAN’s former VP marketing
Penn Interactive is planning to go ahead with its launch of the Barstool Sportsbook in Q3 as planned, despite the uncertainty surrounding sports at the moment.
Head of Penn Interactive Jon Kaplowitz told EGR NA he was hiring a handful of senior marketing execs to the online business, including a director of CRM, director of acquisition, creative director and director of marketing analytics.
The team will be led by newly hired VP marketing Siska Concannon, who held the same role at igaming supplier GAN between 2018 and 2019.
“Because our sports betting launch plans have not changed, we’re still actively recruiting for some key roles,” Kaplowitz said.
“And obviously there are a whole bunch of operational roles as more states legalize and promulgate rules, hence why we’re hiring a compliance officer to help navigate some of those rules with us as well to work with our head of compliance today,” he added.
“As we roll out, Penn Interactive will be mindful that we still want to achieve our interactive goal even more so now than before.”
Earlier this week, 26,000 Penn National staffers were furloughed as its land-based businesses remain closed during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Our hearts go out to the fellow 26,000 team members that have been furloughed, and we hope the businesses at Penn are able to reopen soon because it’s important for all of us once this coronavirus threat subsides,” Kaplowitz said.
“Our company is well positioned to rebound, we have our 41 properties in 19 states, and we just executed a deal that gives us an opportunity to gain a foothold in a 20th state with Hollywood Casino in Maryland.”
Kaplowitz said the firm’s online casino products in Pennsylvania had seen a surge in new registrations and online handle this month, as many stay at home to adhere to social distancing requirements.
As part of its deal to provide an F2P mobile game for NASCAR, Penn Interactive is also in the process of redeveloping its product to include the recently launched and extremely popular esports NASCAR tournaments.
Last week, Penn Interactive laid off seven junior marketing and CS staffers in a move unrelated to the fallout of the coronavirus crisis.