Penn Interactive, a subsidiary of Penn National Gaming, has formalized a new multi-year partnership making it an authorized gaming operator of NASCAR in the US. The deal, Penn National’s first with a professional sports league, centers around a brand new, free-to-play, mobile game named NASCAR Finish Line, offering a $50,000 jackpot every race.
Additionally, the two entertainment organisations have extended their long-standing race title sponsorship for the “Hollywood Casino 400” at Kansas Speedway until 2026.
As an authorized gaming operator of NASCAR, Penn National will take an active role in promoting the motor sport brand across its properties and on its soon-to-launch sports betting app.
Craig Neeb, NASCAR’s Executive Vice President, Innovation, said: “We’re thrilled to have Penn National on board as our first authorized gaming operator to strengthen our effort to increase fan engagement with a platform perfect for in-play experience.
“Coupled with our landmark deal with Genius Sports in 2019, this partnership also positions NASCAR to take advantage of the rapid expansion of legalized sports betting across the country.”
Jennifer Weissman, Chief Marketing Officer for Penn National, commented: “We are very excited to enter this long-term, strategic partnership with NASCAR. We look forward to the opportunity to provide NASCAR fans multiple outlets for their fandom, including online on a new free-to-play mobile game and at our destination casinos and sportsbooks.”
The free-to-play NASCAR Finish Line mobile game will be available ahead of the Daytona 500 across iOS and Android phones and tablets. Players can win the $50,000 jackpot by accurately predicting the race winner and the highest finishers across six different groupings of six drivers.
Last year, NASCAR announced a series of partnerships to prepare the industry and its fans for the rapidly growing sports betting landscape in the US, including an integrity deal with Sportradar, an exclusive data distribution deal with Genius Sports and content deals with Action Network and VSiN.
In turn, Genius Sports rolled out several new in-race bet types in 2019 and is set to expand upon that with an additional eight in time for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.
