Penn to roll out Barstool Sportsbook in Pennsylvania this month

Penn National Gaming will roll out its recently developed Barstool Sportsbook app in Pennsylvania this month in a three-day soft opening ahead of final approval by regulators in that state.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board on Tuesday approved a live, real-money test period for a limited number of preregistered participants Sept. 15-17. If the trial goes as planned, the app will go live in Pennsylvania on Sept. 18.

Wyomissing, Pennsylvania-based Penn, the nation’s second-largest regional gaming company, operates the Tropicana and M Resort in Southern Nevada, but the app hasn’t been licensed in Nevada.

Penn announced its partnership with Boston-based Barstool Sports in January with a $163 million, 36 percent interest in the sports media content provider.

The deal enables Penn to invest an additional $62 million to up its stake to 50 percent within three years and a total $450 million for the entire company.

Penn plans to incorporate sports wagering in the Barstool blog and podcast content with bettors able to bet with or against Barstool’s personalities.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.