The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) reported recently that Penn National Gaming, Inc. (Nasdaq: PENN) (the “Company” or “Penn National”) has far exceeded its construction diversity vendor goals at the halfway point through construction of its $225 million Plainridge Park Casino.

The project’s goals, which were approved by the MGC and reflect current state project diversity goals, are 4% for minority-owned businesses, 7% for women-owned businesses, and 3% for veteran-owned businesses. To date, Plainridge Park Casino has awarded 13% of its contracts to minority-owned businesses, 17% to women-owned businesses, and 14% to veteran-owned businesses.

“We are proud to be supporting minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses across our region and the Commonwealth,” said Eric Schippers, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs. “Our effort has resulted in over $25 million, out of $55 million in contracts awarded to date, going directly to these businesses. Just last week, a contract for over $7.5 million was awarded to veteran-owned business Cox Engineering of Canton for the installation of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning,” said Schippers.

“This contract will provide considerable opportunities for our veterans, and we are proud to play a role in the development of Plainridge Park Casino,” said Jeff Chase, President of Cox Engineering. “We are committed to helping our heroes find careers after serving our country, and this will allow us to put more of them back to work.”

Plainridge Park Casino is expected to open in June of next year, creating 1,000 construction jobs and 500 permanent jobs in addition to protecting the jobs of over 100 employees currently working at Plainridge Racecourse.

“We hope that voters will say No to Question 3 at the ballot box on November 4 and help us to continue to support small businesses across the Commonwealth and to preserve the 6,500 construction jobs and 10,000 good paying permanent jobs with benefits that our industry will collectively generate,” concluded Schippers.

About Plainridge Park Casino

Plainridge Park Casino will include a fully integrated 106,000 square foot racing and gaming facility featuring live harness racing and simulcasting with 1,250 slot machines, an upscale casual dining restaurant, the first-ever Doug Flutie Sports Bar, four-venue food court, harness concourse bar, multi-purpose banquet room, entertainment lounge and casino bar, 1,620 structured and surface parking spaces, 26,000 square foot grandstand with box and reserved seats, and 13,000 square foot clubhouse with box seats.

About Penn National Gaming

Penn National Gaming owns, operates or has ownership interests in gaming and racing facilities with a focus on slot machine entertainment. At June 30, 2014, the Company operated twenty-seven facilities in eighteen jurisdictions, including Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia, and Ontario. At June 30, 2014, in aggregate, Penn National Gaming’s operated facilities featured approximately 30,900 gaming machines, 790 table games and 2,900 hotel rooms.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements can be identified by the use of forward looking terminology such as “expects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “intends,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “plan” or “anticipates,” or the negative or other variation of these or similar words, or by discussions of future events, strategies or risks and uncertainties. Such forward looking statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about Penn National Gaming and its subsidiaries, including risks related to the potential construction delays, the ultimate location of other gaming facilities in the state and, more significantly, the outcome of the referendum to repeal gaming legislation in Massachusetts, which could result in substantial litigation as well as a significant loss to our investment in the state, and accordingly, any forward looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the factors described in Penn National Gaming’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All subsequent written and oral forward looking statements attributable to Penn National Gaming or persons acting on the Company’s behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements included in this press release. Penn National Gaming undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward looking statements contained or incorporated by reference herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release may not occur.