U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 4
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
[ ] Check box if no longer subject to Section 16.
Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instructions 1(b).
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
   Bork, William J.
   1304 Monroe Ave.
   Wyomissing, Pa Berks 19610-2434
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
   Penn National Gaming, Inc. PENN
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)
   ###-##-####
4. Statement for Month/Year
   08/31/98
If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)
   
Relationship of Reporting Person to Issuer (Check all applicable)
   (x) Director  ( ) 10% Owner (x) Officer (give title below)
   ( ) Other (specify below)
   President
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned | ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________| 1. Title of Security |2. |3. |4.Securities Acquired (A) |5.Amount of |6.Dir |7.Nature of Indirect | | Transaction | or Disposed of (D) | Securities |ect | Beneficial Ownership | | | | | Beneficially |(D)or | | | | | | | A/| | Owned at |Indir | | | Date |Code|V| Amount | D | Price | End of Year |ect(I)| | ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________| Common Stock |8/13/9|P | |10000 |A |$6.6875 |10000 |D | | |8 | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Table II -- Derivative Securitites Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned | ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________| 1.Title of Derivative |2.Con- |3. |4. |5.Number of De |6.Date Exer|7.Title and Amount |8.Price|9.Number |10.|11.Nature of| Security |version |Transaction | rivative Secu |cisable and| of Underlying |of Deri|of Deriva |Dir|Indirect | |or Exer | | | rities Acqui |Expiration | Securities |vative |tive |ect|Beneficial | |cise | | | red(A) or Dis |Date(Month/| |Secu |Securities |(D)|Ownership | |Price of| | | posed of(D) |Day/Year) | |rity |Benefi |or | | |Deriva- | | | |Date |Expir| | |ficially |Ind| | |tive | | | | A/|Exer-|ation| Title and Number | |Owned at |ire| | |Secu- | | | | | D |cisa-|Date | of Shares | |End of |ct | | |rity |Date |Code|V| Amount | |ble | | | |Year |(I)| | ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________| Stock Options right to|$5.5 | | | | | | | |Common Stock|150000 | | | | | buy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Stock Options right to|$17.625 | | | | | | | |Common Stock|100000 | | | | | buy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
William J. Bork SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON /Signature/ William J. Bork DATE 8/31/98