GLI – history a global gaming machine certification company

If you are a new supplier of equipment for the gambling industry looking to create a product and do not know where to start, do not leave your actions to chance. Are you looking for information on where to start and how to start the assessment and certification process? Need help with the approval process?

Gaming Laboratories International® (GLI) can help just that. This research laboratory has specialized in the highest quality tests and certifications around the world for 30 years, the team of employees is focused on providing its customers with the highest quality services that can help them achieve future success. As for the quality of workmanship and testing of the entrusted devices, nothing should be left to chance. GLI was founded in 1989 in the USA and since then the company has approved over 1,775,470 gaming items and consulted or tested the hardware in over 475 jurisdictions.

Below we present a brief history of this most famous laboratory evaluating gaming devices worldwide creation:

• June 23rd, 1989 – James Maida joined forces with Paul Magno to form Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) with its global headquarters in Toms River, NJ.

• 1989 – GLI obtained a machine testing agreement with the state of South Dakota to help oversee and implement the first structured video lottery system in the United States.

• 1990 – GLI expanded its test role to include Indian casinos and river boat gaming devices in the United States.

• 1994 – With the development of games in the South Pacific, GLI founded Gaming Laboratories Australia in Adelaide, South Australia. To allow additional capacity in Australia, GLI established a second Australian office in Sydney, NSW in 1998. The establishment of these overseas laboratories allowed GLI to benefit from a 24-hour working day and allowed data exchange between the American continent and the Asia / Pacific region.

• 1996 – GLI established a third international laboratory located in Pretoria, South Africa, in collaboration with its then joint venture partner, the South African Standards Bureau (SABS). This international location was primarily responsible for testing machines for use in South Africa.

• 1998 – GLI established the fourth international laboratory for the opening of GLI Europe BV in the Netherlands. The laboratory has almost doubled and has been accredited in accordance with EN 45004 and the international quality standards ISO 17020 and ISO 17025.

• 1998 – GLI established the Special Projects Department to meet the needs of its non-gaming customers. The special projects department tests and reviews devices such as vending machines, redemption games, keno and bingo systems as well as table entertainment games

• 2001 – GLI opens the Las Vegas Service Center, an 18,000 square foot laboratory equipped with protocol and systems testing. Since opening the Las Vegas Service Center GLI has received a very positive response from the gaming industry, offering system and game testing from virtually every manufacturer in the world.

• 2003 – The Las Vegas Service Center successfully completed its second year of ticket testing for the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

• 2004 – GLI opens its eighth laboratory in Bologna, Italy. The main purpose of this establishment was to meet the needs of the newly emerging Italian jurisdiction. GLI Italia has obtained ISO 17025 accreditation by the Dutch accreditation agency RVA. The GSA Board of Directors has once again approved the GLI as the official operations center for self-testing of devices by GSA members.

• 2006 – A2LA, the largest multidisciplinary accreditation body in the United States and the second largest in the world, conducted GLI test facility assessments in North America. Upon completion of their assessment, GLI was accredited to ISO 17025 to demonstrate technical competence in laboratory testing and to ISO 17020 to demonstrate technical competence to conduct field inspections. This achievement made GLI the first and only gaming organization in the United States to receive both accreditations.

• 2007 – The company opened two new global laboratories. GLI Asia, based in Macau, China, serves the booming markets of Macau and Asia. GLI Austria was founded when GLI entered into a partnership with SMI. The new company has significantly expanded its service capabilities.

• 2008 – GLI Europe BV received full approval from the UK Gambling Commission to test all categories of equipment. GLI Europe BV previously held interim approval pending full assessment and accreditation against ISO 17025, which included the newly established standards.

GLI established the “Totalizator System” division in Poland, to provide testing and auditing services for animal racing regulators. In 2008 and 2009, the GLI Totalizator System department tested the totalizer systems in ten locations in Texas and Iowa. This effort provided GLI with experience in testing the top three suppliers of totalizer systems.

• 2010 – GLI Australia has integrated into GLI’s global filing process, establishing a complete strategy with a new common database to help suppliers rapidly enter the global marketplace.

• 2011 – GLI Australia and GLI Europe become the acclaimed testing lab of the Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore, expanding the company’s relationship with the authority that began in 2009. GLI Asia has expanded its testing services to include lotteries. In 2011, GLI Asia carried out many high-profile lottery projects in China, South Korea and Taiwan, and GLI staff specialized in lottery dispute resolution across the region.

The company has released the latest in its extensive range of exclusive tools, GLI Mobile®. The mobile app gives access to GLIAccess®, a powerful GLI database 24/7, where the regulator and supplier can track and revoke data transfers and receive instant updates. The industry recognizes the technology immediately, and GLI Mobile is one of the most innovative technologies of the year. GLI Europe and GLI Austria became the first laboratories of this kind authorized to test casino and street gaming equipment and conduct field inspections for the same equipment in Poland.

• 2012 – GLI hired an additional 100 employees, increasing its global workforce from 650 to 750, increasing its service capacity in response to increased service demands.

The company opened a GLI Espana near Barcelona to serve the rapidly growing land and gaming markets in Spain.

GLI was appointed an associate member of Cibelae and the European Lottery, and at the same time received a Nevada certification from Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval for GLI’s innovation and entrepreneurship that helped drive Nevada’s economy and job creation.

• 2013 – GLI has released a key update to the “GLI-19 Interactive Gaming Systems” technical standard. The new GLI-19 2.0 release introduces key updates that address the unique technical aspects of North America’s gambling markets. The standard was immediately adopted by the Delaware State Lottery.
Colorado Division of Gaming renews GLI Colorado’s research laboratory certification and certified supplier status.

• 2014 – GLI accounts 25 years of service for regulators, suppliers and operators in the gaming industry. From one office with two employees, the company has grown to 21 offices on six continents and has over 850 employees.
The GLI has appointed an authority issuing game device test reports for the jurisdiction of Slovenia by the Slovenian Ministry of Finance.

• 2015 – GLI extends the scope of audit services to include the World Lottery Association (WLA-SCS) and ISO 27001 security control standards for information security management in Europe and Africa.
All members of the GLI quality management system (including the United States, Canada, Italy, South Africa and Australia) have successfully completed the ISO 17025 Lead Auditor Certification Examination.
With this acquisition, SLI Global Solutions and GLI form one of the largest software testing and quality assurance organizations worldwide.

• 2016 – GLI is accredited in the Czech Republic, becoming the first international gaming laboratory to achieve this honor. This achievement further increases the company’s activity throughout Europe and allows the company to provide assistance to the Czech Ministry of Finance and the Games Council.

GLI Europe B.V. moved from its original office in Hillegom to Haarlem in the Netherlands, expanding the infrastructure and enabling the office to pursue a strategy of excellent customer service and regional commitment. In 2016, GLI achieved an amazing milestone – the company tested and certified 2.5 million slot machines, devices and gaming systems.

GLI becomes the first international computer games laboratory to obtain licenses for class II systems in Romania, which further increased GLI’s activity across Europe and enabled the company to assist the Romanian ONJN (Oficiul National pentru Jocuri de Noroc).

GLI issues an iGaming white papers highlighting security threats and the importance of internal and external controls.
• 2017 – GLI Group acquired NMi Metrology & Gaming Ltd. and related gaming assets (“NMi Gaming”) from NMi Certin, B.V. and related entities.
GLI has been authorized by the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) as the designated testing lab for the state of Michigan.

This development story represents a period of more than 25 years of work and confidence-building in their valuations and opinions issued to game developers and regulators around the world.

GLI is the largest and most recognizable appraiser in this field, approvals and certificates issued by GLI are recognized all over the world and are not subject to discussion.

Using the experience and history of people employed at GLI means that the machines and devices subject to the valuation have the highest degree of correctness, and the final GLI certificate proves this clearly and unambiguously.

GLI has branches all over the world, and also has a representative office in Uganda.

About Post Author

Iwo Bulski

Issues related to the gambling business is engaged in more than 30 years. My empirical experience gives me the opportunity to present events and companies from this business with full knowledge and industry knowledge.

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Iwo Bulski

Issues related to the gambling business is engaged in more than 30 years. My empirical experience gives me the opportunity to present events and companies from this business with full knowledge and industry knowledge.