Penn National Gaming Inc. agreed to acquire Score Media & Gaming Inc. for about $2 billion, adding sports news and digital technology to its sports-betting operations.
Score Media operates theScore app, which delivers sports scores, news and betting information to its subscribers. The company had 3.7 million average monthly active users as of its May quarter.
Penn National has 43 properties across 20 states, and offers online gaming, live racing and sports betting. The company said acquiring theScore will give it technology to help enhance its customer experience and expand the reach of Barstool Sports, with which it has a partnership.
“We’re really focused on building relationships and creating engaging content and loyalty long term,” Penn National Chief Executive Jay Snowden said in an interview. “The Score knows how to do that.”
The acquisition agreement comes amid heated competition for U.S. sports-betting customers, as more states legalize sports wagering.