Exhibit 23.1 CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS Penn National Gaming, Inc. Wyomissing, Pennsylvania We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus constituting a part of the Registration Statements on Form S-3 (SEC File Nos. 33-98642 and 333-63780), Form S-4 (SEC File No. 333-62672) and Form S-8 (SEC File No. 33-98640) of our report dated March 12, 2001, relating to the consolidated financial statements of Penn National Gaming, Inc. and subsidiaries for the year ended December 31, 2000 appearing in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A. BDO SEIDMAN, LLP Philadelphia, Pennsylvania July 19, 2001