Penn Entertainment has announced the appointment of Aaron LaBerge, who previously held a prominent position at The Walt Disney Company, as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
Starting his new role on July 1st, LaBerge will report directly to Jay Snowden, the CEO and president of Penn Entertainment.
In his capacity as CTO, LaBerge will be tasked with leading the company's technology strategy and implementation. He will oversee a global team of technologists and will also serve as the principal business leader for Penn Interactive.
LaBerge's move to Penn follows nearly six years at The Walt Disney Company, where he most recently served as president and CTO of Disney Entertainment and ESPN. He also held the title of president and CTO for Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution.
Before his tenure at Disney, LaBerge spent six years at ESPN in various senior technology roles, including four years as executive vice-president and CTO.
Earlier in his career, LaBerge co-founded and led the software company Fanzter as CEO. This was after an earlier period at ESPN, where he spent over five years as senior vice-president of technology and product development. Additionally, he worked with the Walt Disney Internet Group, Starwave Corporation, and Renaissance Interactive.
A significant aspect of LaBerge's new role at Penn will involve supporting the expansion of the ESPN Bet brand in the United States.
ESPN Bet is a product of Penn's $1.5 billion partnership with Disney's ESPN, the leading sports media brand in the U.S. This partnership, formed in August, allows Penn to operate ESPN Bet, while ESPN promotes the app across its digital and broadcast platforms.
ESPN Bet is a rebranding of the existing sports betting app, Barstool Sportsbook. Penn sold Barstool Sports back to its founder, Dave Portnoy, for $1 in August of last year.
Launched in November, ESPN Bet is now available in 17 states across the U.S. In February, it moved to acquire Wynn Interactive’s New York sports betting licenses, paving the way for its entry into the state later this year.
"I’m excited to join another talented team at Penn Interactive and lead our technology strategy," said LaBerge. "Penn Entertainment is at the forefront of the rapidly evolving gaming and sports media industry. I plan to leverage my experience from Disney and ESPN to enhance ESPN Bet and make it an essential part of the sports fan experience. Together, we’ll redefine how fans engage with sports and gaming."
CEO Jay Snowden expressed enthusiasm about LaBerge's appointment, stating, "We are thrilled to welcome someone of Aaron’s calibre to our Penn executive team. His experience overseeing a global team of engineers, product developers, designers, technologists, and data scientists who created some of the world’s most successful media properties makes him the ideal candidate to lead our Technology and Interactive division. Aaron is eager to collaborate with our entire executive team to strengthen our leadership in online gaming, sports betting, and digital sports media."