Penn Entertainment is entering the new year with an updated corporate focus for its interactive division and online casino business.
Chief Technology Officer Aaron LeBerge is taking over the company’s IT functions, putting all of its retail, digital, data, cloud and security platforms under LeBerge’s control. The hope is the new format will accelerate Penn’s ability to “design, build, and deploy scalable new products and omnichannel capabilities in support of PENN’s businesses,” according to Monday‘s release.
More time on Penn’s retail business means less time on the interactive side for LaBerge, who joined Penn from Disney as part of the company’s push to build out its ESPN Bet partnership that shuttered after just a few years. The company has already begun a search for a digital COO to oversee the day-to-day online casino and sports betting businesses and report to LaBerge.
Penn is also eliminating two top positions of operations executive VP and chief information officer. It will update shareholders on the anticipated annualized cost savings and improved free cash flow expected from these changes in its 2025 earnings release expected in February.
Penn’s stock opened Tuesday flat compared to Monday’s close at $15.14.
Longtime Penn employees ousted
Penn used the release to heap praise on the two longtime employees it says are stepping down as part of the change.
Todd George, the executive VP of operations who spent more than 13 years with Penn, helped the company modernize entertainment experiences at its properties. He oversaw the opening of Penn’s new Hollywood Casino Joliet and the second tower at M Resort in Nevada and led multiple properties before taking on the executive position.
Rich Primus was the chief information officer for more than 10 years and helped develop the company’s strategic technology plan and its cyber security framework.
“Both Todd and Rich have made significant contributions to PENN’s evolution over the past decade and helped build the strong foundation we have in place today,” CEO Jay Snowden said. “On behalf of the Company’s Board of Directors, I want to express my appreciation for their dedication and efforts to PENN over the years and wish them well in their future endeavors.”
Online casino a bigger focus for retail results
The changes announced Monday fits with what Snowden noted in the company’s third-quarter earnings call.
Since launching online casino and sports betting, Penn has seen its average customer age lowered by about seven years compared to 2019. The intention in 2026 is to make money from the digital segment, Snowden said on that call.
Part of this structure change will have Chief Marketing Officer Jennifer Weissman working closely with LaBerge “to further enhance the PENN Play loyalty program, its overall value proposition and cross-sell execution.”
Penn reported a record 62% cross-sell from online sports betting to online casino in the third quarter and saw monthly active users grow 79% in the third quarter. That was helped by the standalone Hollywood Casino app, which launched December 2024.
