Penn National Gaming has formed a political action committee to help fight a referendum on the November ballot seeking approval for a casino in western Maine.

Last month Penn National Gaming took a preliminary step forward to enter the Las Vegas casino market, by purchasing a small stake in Nevada Slots and Supplies. The purchase allowed the casino operator to receive licensing approval from Nevada regulators opening the door for quick entry upon the purchase of a struggling property.

Investment firm Sterne Agee maintained a buy rating on shares of Penn National Gaming on Friday following second quarter results that beat analysts’ expectations.

Penn National Gaming has agreed to pay the city of Toledo $1 million for abandoning plans the city has invested on the property that will become the home to the Hollywood Casino Toledo, but the City is not ready to except the money.

Even while “economic recovery remains unpredictable” CEO Peter Carlino of Penn National Gaming says that quarter 2 results reflect the company’s “success in navigating the current environment and driving operating margin improvements”.

Following Maryland’s Court of Appeals ruling that voters will decide the fate of the slots parlor at the Arundel Mills Mall, Penn National Gaming and MI Developments announced that are ready to pursue slot machines at the Laurel Park and Pimlico race courses if the referendum fails.

As Investors await Penn National Gaming to release second quarter financials on Thursday July 22, Analysts say they anticipate earnings for the gaming company to be within line of early predictions.

Penn Ventures, LLC, a subsidiary of Penn National Gaming, Inc, developing casinos in both Toledo and Columbus, has terminated its agreement with Lakes Entertainment.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board will present Penn National Gaming with its table game license at a ceremony scheduled at the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course Tuesday morning.

Penn National Gaming can begin construction on the Hollywood Casino Toledo next month following a unanimous vote by the Toledo Planning Commission on Friday.

Penn National Gaming will launch table games at the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course next week as Pennsylvania lawmakers give the final go ahead to casinos around the state.

Penn National Gaming may no longer be in the running for the Aqueduct Racino, but they do have other prospects in the works to enter expanding casino markets.

New York Lottery officials announced late Tuesday afternoon that Penn National Gaming has been disqualified from the bidding process on the Aqueduct Racino contract on eight counts of non-conformity.

While the actual table games themselves sat just over the Maryland boarder Wednesday morning, Penn National Gaming took possession of its West Virginia license just after midnight and ushered in the trucks.

Penn National Gaming has been granted the regulatory approval needed from two states overseeing the pending acquisitions of several new racetracks.

As Penn National Gaming prepares for the opening of three new casinos in Ohio and Maryland they also are hopeful that they will win approval from the New York state Lottery Division to operate the controversial Aqueduct racetrack “racino” project.

As Penn National Gaming clears away remaining building structures and turns up land to prepare for the construction of Hollywood Casino Columbus, the state is surprised to learn of the work in store for the gaming company to make the land usable.

Less than two weeks after Maryland state lottery division was approved to purchase 1,062 slot machines, the Board of Public Works has agreed to allow the division to purchase an additional 438 gaming machines for the Hollywood Casino Perryville owned by Penn National Gaming.

The Ohio State Racing Commission approved the sale of Beulah Park to Penn National Gaming Inc. at its monthly meeting Wednesday in Columbus.

Penn National Gaming has provided site plans for the Hollywood Casino Toledo scheduled to open in late 2012.