Exclusive interview with Karen Sierra Hughes, GLI Director for LatAm and the Caribbean

"GLI: Jurisdictions worldwide have shown us how sports betting can be properly regulated and operated"

"Sports betting was clearly the central focus of discussions throughout the show, with our clients and in the keynote addresses and other education sessions," explains Karen Sierra Hughes, GLI Director for LatAm and the Caribbean
2018-11-12
Reading time 3:37 min
In an exclusive interview with Yogonet, GLI Director for LatAm and the Caribbean Karen Sierra Hughes celebrated the opportunites GLI could reap from their participation at G2E 2018, the networking possibilities encountered and the recognition the gaming industry held for the Test Automation system, GLI Link and Point.Click.Transfer.

What final balance could you offer us about your participation in G2E, in terms of visits, new agreements, feedback, networking? Did they meet their previous expectations?
G2E is always a strong, busy show for GLI and 2018 was no exception. It was a very solid show for GLI, and more importantly, for our clients. The clients we spoke with from around the world reported a very positive experience overall, and with the GLI staff who attended from many of our global locations. We were able to take advantage of the many networking opportunities the show provided – both on the show floor and in the education events – and were fortunate to be able to interact with clients from around the world.

What were the products, services and knowledge of GLI that aroused the greatest interest among operators, manufacturers and regulators?
We had many, in-depth discussions about our certification services as well as our cybersecurity offerings. It was also very gratifying to see the collaboration between our offices on behalf of our clients. For example, because G2E is such a global show, we purposefully brought in key team members from our Europe and LatAm groups, because there is such cross-over interest with suppliers, operators, and regulators in many aspects of the gaming industry, especially iGaming. Online gaming and sports betting were understandably interesting points of conversation with LatAm and Caribbean clients, and the broad range of GLI experts provided locally focused, accurate, and meaningful information to our clients. Outside of our booth, we were honored to speak on several panels Including “The Power of Tech I: Suppliers’ Perspectives in Leveraging Technology to Bring Added Value to Your Customers”; IAGA Regional Roundup; IMGL Masterclass “Can Responsible Gaming Regulation Keep Pace with Advancements in Gaming”; and “Sports Betting in Latin America.”

In what ways did the prevailing context generated by the opening of sports betting in the United States affect you? What role does the GLI-33 standard fulfill in this regard, how would they describe their current weight in the local market and how do they project it in the future?
Sports betting was clearly the central focus of discussions throughout the show, with our clients and in the keynote addresses and other education sessions. That’s understandable given the relative newness of the US Supreme Court’s recent ruling on PASPA, and now operators and regulators, and by extension suppliers, are finding their way to how best take advantage of the sports betting opportunity for their jurisdictions and for their players. Of course, as part of that discussion, attendees were interested to hear more details about our recently released “GLI-33: Event Wagering Systems,” which encapsulates the most highly developed set of technical requirements and practices available for sports wagering systems from jurisdictions worldwide. The good news for jurisdictions who are just treading into the world of sports betting is there is a world of experience to learn from. Jurisdictions worldwide have shown us how sports betting can be properly regulated and operated and can enhance the player’s entertainment experience. We will continue our dialog with suppliers, regulators, and operators about how they can best make sense and move forward after PASPA, and how the GLI-33 standard and our global experience can help our clients.

Could you offer us more practical details of the Test Automation system, GLI Link and Point.Click.Transfer, and the feedback you got from these products in Las Vegas?
To begin, we were humbled that the industry acknowledged our efforts in technological innovation for our new Testing Automation. We worked very hard on this technology for four years, and we were thrilled when it was voted “Best Innovation” in Gaming & Leisure Magazine’s “2018 Gaming and Hospitality Industry Awards” and named the Gold Award winner for Best Productivity-Enhancement Technology in GGB Magazine’s “Gaming and Technology Awards.” What testing automation does it allows for even more in-depth testing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and eliminates human error. The clients who are already using Testing Automation have been giving us very positive feedback. As you alluded to in the question, testing automation is the latest in a series of innovative technological tools GLI engineers have created to benefit our clients. GLI Link is a patented technology that has reduced costs and sped time-to-market because it allows for remote testing of devices against systems using the internet. Adding to that is Point.Click.Transfer. which allows suppliers to quickly and easily transfer previously certified devices and systems into jurisdictions worldwide, further underscoring the idea that GLI is the one and only lab who can take suppliers into every jurisdiction in the world.

How does the GLI agenda follow in terms of projects and events?
This has been a fun and busy year for GLI, and immediately following G2E, we were on the road again
attending events such as the recently completed Caribbean & Americas Gaming Regulation Forum 2018 and Gaming Market Colombia. Next, we will participate in Gol Cartagena, the World Lottery Summit conference in Buenos Aires, and the Dominican Republic Gaming Summit. We are already planning 2019, and look forward to meeting with regulators, operators, and suppliers all over the world.

Leave your comment
Subscribe to our newsletter
Enter your email to receive the latest news
By entering your email address, you agree to Yogonet's Condiciones de uso and Privacy Policies. You understand Yogonet may use your address to send updates and marketing emails. Use the Unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.
Unsubscribe
EVENTS CALENDAR