Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Burke Thomas
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
01/01/2009		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
PENN NATIONAL GAMING INC [PENN]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
825 BERKSHIRE BLVD SUITE 200		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
SR VP-Regional Operations
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

WYOMISSING, PA 19610		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Incentive Stock Options (right to buy) 11/01/2003 11/01/2009 Common Stock 24,232 $ 10.195 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) 11/01/2006 11/01/2012 Common Stock 768 $ 10.195 D  
Incentive Stock Option (right to buy) 10/31/2004 10/31/2010 Common Stock 7,500 $ 11.875 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Options (right to buy) 10/31/2004 10/31/2013 Common Stock 12,500 $ 11.875 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Options (right to buy) 10/17/2005 10/17/2014 Common Stock 30,000 $ 21.075 D  
Incentive Stock Options (right to buy) 08/04/2007(1) 08/04/2016 Common Stock 5,000 $ 33.71 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Options (right to buy) 08/04/2007(1) 08/04/2016 Common Stock 5,000 $ 33.71 D  
Incentive Stock Options (right to buy) 01/02/2008(1) 01/02/2017 Common Stock 2,004 $ 41.62 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Options (right to buy) 01/02/2008(1) 01/02/2017 Common Stock 2,996 $ 41.62 D  
Incentive Stock Options (right to buy) 07/08/2009(1) 07/08/2018 Common Stock 4,108 $ 29.87 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Options (right to buy) 07/08/2009(1) 07/08/2018 Common Stock 5,892 $ 29.87 D  
Incentive Stock Options (right to buy) 10/06/2012 10/06/2015 Common Stock 1,264 $ 20.03 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Options (right to buy) 10/06/2009(1) 10/06/2015 Common Stock 13,736 $ 20.03 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Burke Thomas
825 BERKSHIRE BLVD SUITE 200
WYOMISSING, PA 19610		       SR VP-Regional Operations  

Signatures

/s/ Robert S. Ippolito as attorney-in-fact for Thomas Burke 01/06/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Vests over 4 years at 25% a year on the anniversary of the date of grant.

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