Industry Insider: Lovell Walker, Vice President, Business Development, PENN Entertainment

In this month’s Industry Insider, we spoke with Lovell Walker, PENN Entertainment’s vice president of business development about his background, the importance of omnichannel gaming in the modern casino, how he is promoting diversity and inclusion, and more.

You have spent more than a decade working in the gaming industry. What drew you in and how have you seen it change?
My interest started with my family. Both my mother and father worked in the industry, and I was raised in Vegas, so the desire came naturally. As I got older, I became fascinated by the industry's continuous evolution. You could physically see the growth and maturity of the industry through time. It’s resilient and constantly redefines its character, which intrigues me.

PENN Entertainment has taken an omnichannel approach when it comes to gaming, offering bettors the opportunity to participate both in-person and on their phone. Why is this approach so important and how does it impact the day-to-day gaming experience of your customers?
Omnichannel ushers in seamless services built for today's consumer standards. On the one hand, it offers our guests convenience, and as it evolves, we can better use data to adjust to our guest's needs immediately, ultimately allowing us to be more effective operators.

While at MGM, you were responsible for rolling out Level Up with the intention of attracting millennials. How successful would you say the industry has been in attracting this younger demographic and where do you still see room to improve?
The industry deserves more credit for its ability to adapt. The overall products today are well tailored to attract and retain a younger demographic when you consider F&B experiences, nightlife, the integration of sports, and the advancement of entertainment offerings. 

Gaming specifically has its hurdles that stall progression. Primarily transitioning products from Boomers to Millennials is tricky and should be considered in phases, not an overnight transformation. Floors are optimized for Boomers and Gen X today because they are the core visitors, but the foundation for Millennials and Gen Z is actively being reimagined with omnichannel gaming as a prominent example.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are being prioritized throughout the gaming industry. How have you helped nurture and grow these principles? Where do you see the need for improvement across the industry?
I focus on diversity at a foundational level and by continuously being an example.

There were opportunities that I was unaware of coming out of high school, even through college, and so I make myself available to expose a younger generation to what this industry has to offer. From there, we can arm people with the skills to be effective contributors through intentional preparation. The other essential idea is to have more tangible examples of diversity in leadership positions.

I, and many other persons of color, fight to be an example of a diverse workforce in leadership positions. Throughout my journey, I've failed many times and look at it as both a hazard of exposure to new things and evidence of continuous growth versus a knock on my capabilities. With that growth comes the ability to create opportunities and share learnings with others to develop a more diverse industry.

G2E is the catalyst for gaming – fostering innovation and driving growth by convening the global industry in one place to get business done. What are you most looking forward to seeing at G2E 2023?
I've been going to G2E for over a decade now. Consistently, the best part is connecting with old friends and establishing new ones. Those relationships and connections are critical for getting quality work done in our industry, and G2E is a top-tier event that makes it a reality.