Penn National Unveils In-House Online Casino Games Studio

US casino operator Penn National Gaming has established an in-house content development studio that will create exclusive online casino games for the company.

To fuel the start of its newly formed Penn Game Studios arm, Penn National has acquired two Massachusetts-based game developers for an undisclosed amount. The transaction is expected to close any moment now, subject to customary closing conditions.

Penn National said Monday that it has purchased HitPoint Studios, Inc. and its real money gaming spinoff LuckyPoint, Inc. The two experienced studios will serve as the starting point for its new endeavor.

Since launched in 2008, HitPoint has created over 50 gaming titles for some of the world’s largest publishers and brands, including Disney, Microsoft, EA, Ellen DeGeneres, and more. The company specializes in the development of platforms for real-time multiplayer casual mobile games.

It was in 2019 when HitPoint spun out LuckyPoint to focus on developing real-money games for the iGaming industry. The studio has also created and operates a remote gaming server. LuckyPoint produces online slots and table games as well as retro-style arcade games and puzzle-style ones that are all available across desktop and mobile.

Venturing into Game Development

Using the above two studios’ industry experience, the newly established Penn Game Studios will develop exclusive content for Penn National and its customers, including the company’s Barstool Sports and mychoice audiences.

Barstool players comprise a younger generation of Penn National customers who are mostly sports enthusiasts who enjoy table games when on the casino floor. As for mychoice, this is the company’s loyalty program.

Mychoice players are usually older, retail casino customers who like to play slot machines. Penn National’s loyalty program has more than 20 million users.

Penn Game Studios will create table games for the Barstool customer and slots for the mychoice customer, according to company officials. The launch of the in-house studio will help Penn National further grow the Barstool brand by building exclusive online casino games.

The casino operator acquired the brand in early 2020 and has launched digital and retail sportsbooks with it in several states so far.

Commenting on their debut on the game development scene, Penn National President and CEO Jay Snowden said that they are incredibly excited to make another important step in their evolution into a “leading omni-channel provider of retail and interactive gaming, sports betting and entertainment.”

Mr. Snowden went on to say that the acquisition of the two Massachusetts studios and the creation of Penn Game Studios enables them to develop exclusive content for their audiences, further leverage the Barstool brand and the mychoice user database, and create cross-marketing opportunities with their brick-and-mortar casinos.

Source: Penn National Gaming to Launch Penn Game Studios, BusinessWire, May 3, 2021