Inside Asian Gaming

July 2012 | INSIDE ASIAN GAMING 19 GLI interactive gaming for the region. So the office serves both terrestrial gaming for Macau, interactive gaming, testing for local manufacturers for global markets, and also provides information and support for our other labs— whether they be in Australia, the U.S. or Europe—wanting to bring products into Macau. We have a very strong and close relationship with the DICJ [the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau]. We help them, and we understand what they do. We’re basically on call straight away for them. What’s the regulatory map looking like for GLI Asia, the geographic reach? How would you characterize those relationships? Well, we have different stages of relationships. Of course, there’s PAGCOR [Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corporation], there’s DICJ and CRA [Casino Regulatory Authority] in Singapore. They’re the ones we deal with on an operational, day-to-day level, providing certification and testing services. In addition to that there are other government agencies that we’re working with. For example, in Taiwan we’re on an advisory panel to the Ministry of Transportation and Communication. They’re theoneswho are responsible for establishing the regulations. Ahead of casino legalization, you mean? Ahead of legalization, yes. They’ve drafted the legislation to go forward; that’s MOTC’s role. And GLI’s role in that process? Our area of expertise is predominantly technical andproductcompliance.The panel has a very wide scope in terms of legislation, licensing and a number of other things. But we specifically talk about product technology and product certification. Are you looking at other potential markets? In Korea and Japan we’re engaged in communications, just to keep our finger on the pulse and advise them to see whether it does emerge so we can make sure the legislation makes sense. Who are you working with in Japan? There’s a variety. We don’t have a single contact at the moment because, of course, it’s different ministers that we’re having different levels of communications with. We have some consultants and advisors there who keep us informed. We’re trying to find out who the player will be in that area. When a new or emerging market, a Singapore or a Japan or Korea, say, approaches you, what information are they looking for? From a product perspective, which is where I predominantly speak from, it’s generally the same. Their prime concerns are revenue protection, ensuring that the machines are accounting correctly, player protection, integrity, security. The key concerns of the regulator are always the same in that regard from a product point of view. That’s global. Then you get some public policy things that may be in there, like player protection, pay information, whichmay then translate into technical requirements in the player information displays on the game, or other sorts of player information to address problem gambling. But generally they’re fairly consistent. All this is done out of the Macau office? Between Macau and others. I’m based in the U.S., so I will come through, and also we will send people up from Australia if expertise is required; we’ll bring some engineers or advice. Our Macau team here is limited in terms of everything they can offer sowemake surewe get the right information from the right experts in that area. An advantage of having GLI’s global reach. You can draw from anywhere. That’s correct. But when it comes to feet on the ground it’s done locally. But they will draw on research and information from any office around the world. And we have different offices that are experts in All bases covered—GLI has a huge standards database to cover every market GLI World Headquarters in Las Vegas