Michigan is now home to PENN Entertainment‘s new Hollywood online casino app, the company announced on Friday. The standalone platform was previously available in Pennsylvania before coming to the Great Lakes State.
The Hollywood Casino app expected to launch in Pennsylvania first in “early 2025,” according to PENN Entertainment CEO, Jay Snowden. However, the company went live in the Keystone State last month, which was earlier than expected. The fact that it brought the new platform to Michigan online casino players in the first full week of 2025 is considered early, too.
The Hollywood Casino app is available for customers on Android, iOS and desktop. ESPN BET is also going to continue carrying casino games, too.
Hollywood Casino contains around 750 slots
Customers can download the new platform or use on a desktop and login with the same credentials for ESPN BET. That eliminates a step for existing players, since they won’t have to create a new account.
Upon logging in, the home screen displays sections that features promotions, popular titles and fresh/new games. The casino offers around 750 slots, table games and live dealer titles.
Some of the popular slots available include:
- Cash Eruption
- Hypernova Megaways
- Bruno’s Vegas Gold Blitz
In addition, the app also consists of live dealer games that are Hollywood-branded, which launched last August. There are also table game that has Detroit Red Wings branding on the table.
The press release did not quote anyone from PENN Entertainment. However, in the Pennsylvania launch, Aaron LaBerge, PENN’s Chief Technology Officer, said that Hollywood app appeals to true iGaming players:
“We’re excited to launch Hollywood Casino as a stand-alone app in Pennsylvania, giving our customers access to their favorite games in a dedicated, casino-first experience.”
PENN Entertainment focusing on omnichannel experience
Michigan is an important market for PENN Entertainment because of its Hollywood Casino at Greektown property. That was certainly on PENN Entertainment’s mind when launching in Michigan, as the press release said:
“This launch strengthens the Hollywood Casino brand in Michigan, where PENN operates Hollywood Casino at Greektown in downtown Detroit.
“The online Hollywood Casino offers omnichannel integrations with Greektown, including Hollywood Casino at Greektown branded live dealer blackjack tables and digital versions of slot titles available at the property.”
The company has been talking about consistency, in terms of messaging, for months. The retail sportsbook at Hollywood Casino at Greektown successfully opened in time to host the NFL Draft, which was held in Detroit, last April.
Now that the sportsbooks showcase clear messaging, the casino does, too. Snowden said during a Q3 2024 earnings call last November:
“What we’re doing right now is messy, because you’re marketing to your land-based casino database at Hollywood properties, and telling them that they should download the ESPN bet app to play their favorite slot machine.”
PENN Entertainment has cleaned up its messaging in both gambling verticals. The next part it has to nail is the messaging itself, now that it has consistency for the first time in awhile.
