Penn National Gaming, Inc. (PENN: Nasdaq) (the "Company") announced today that Michael Galle, 43, who has served as the Assistant General Manager of Hollywood Casino Toledo since June 2011, has been named General Manager of Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Track which is scheduled to open in the second half of 2014. Mr. Galle's appointment, effective January 2014, is subject to customary regulatory approvals and he will report directly to Penn National Gaming Senior Vice President of Regional Operations, John Finamore.

In his new role as General Manager of Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Track, Mr. Galle will have full responsibility for the start-up, opening and management of the planned $136 million facility, including the recruitment and training of employees. Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Track, under construction at Austintown's CentrePointe Business Park off State Route 46, just south of Interstate 80 and just west of Youngstown, will feature a video lottery terminal (VLT) facility with approximately 1,000 VLTs at opening, a state-of-the-art 1-mile thoroughbred racetrack, more than 1,000 enclosed, climate-controlled seats with racetrack views, a year-round simulcast wagering facility and additional food and beverage options.

Mr. Galle, a 21-year veteran of the gaming industry, has been with Penn National Gaming since February 1995, when he joined Argosy Sioux City Casino as Surveillance Director. At the property through August 2008, he served in a number of roles of increasing prominence including Slot Director, Director of Casino Operations and, ultimately, Assistant General Manager. He joined the team at Argosy Riverside in August 2008 as Vice President of Casino Operations and was ultimately named Assistant General Manager of Hollywood Casino Toledo in June 2011 where he serves today. Prior to joining Penn National Gaming, Mr. Galle worked at Silver Eagle Casino from November 1992 to February 1995 and at Dubuque Casino Belle from June 1992 to November 1992. He holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa.

John Finamore commented, "The appointment of Michael Galle as the first General Manager of Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Track represents a key milestone in the evolution of this project which is currently under construction and is scheduled to open later next year. We believe Mike's experience at several of our facilities, including his most recent role as Assistant General Manager of our growing Hollywood Casino Toledo, makes him an ideal candidate to oversee the continued construction of our newest facility in Austintown, the extensive hiring process, and both the facility's pre-opening activities and eventual ramp of operations. Since joining the team in Toledo in mid-2011, Michael has been an instrumental part of the property's growing success, having built close ties among the local community in Toledo and across the state. We expect him to leverage those ties and that experience as he moves to the Austintown area and believe he will help Penn National create a close relationship with the community, state officials and the Ohio thoroughbred horsemen to ensure that Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Track is a key, valued member of the local community."

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. The Company presently operates twenty-eight facilities in eighteen jurisdictions, including Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia, and Ontario. In aggregate, Penn National's operated facilities currently feature approximately 33,000 gaming machines, 800 table games, 2,900 hotel rooms and 1.6 million square feet of gaming floor space.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may vary materially from expectations. Although Penn National Gaming, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the "Company" or "PENN") believe that our expectations are based on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of our knowledge of our business and operations, there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from our expectations. Meaningful factors that could cause actual results to differ from expectations include favorable resolution of any related litigation, including the appeal by the Ohio Roundtable addressing the legality of video lottery terminals in Ohio (now before the Ohio Supreme Court); our ability to secure state and local permits and approvals necessary for construction; construction factors, including delays, unexpected remediation costs, local opposition and increased cost of labor and materials; our ability to reach agreements with the thoroughbred and harness horseman in Ohio as well as certain labor organizations in connection with the proposed projects and other factors as discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K as filed with the SEC. The Company does not intend to update publicly any forward-looking statements except as required by law.

Penn National Gaming, Inc.
William J. Clifford, 610-373-2400
Chief Financial Officer
or
JCIR
Joseph N. Jaffoni, Richard Land
212-835-8500
penn@jcir.com