Las Vegas gaming lab hiring, but only nongamblers

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Ian Hughes

Gaming Laboratories International, a New Jersey company licensed in Nevada to ensure that slot machines, online gaming and other casino systems meet gaming regulators' standards, is hiring.

But if you want a job there, you can't gamble. That would be a conflict of interest.

Driven by privatization and the emergence of online poker, GLI is expanding. This week, it held an open house to show off its newly expanded 80,000-square-foot Las Vegas office and testing space, where it has operated since 2004. It also is planning a job fair Sept. 8.

GLI runs one of two local licensed test centers for gaming manufacturers. The other is BMM International, which like GLI is expanding.

The companies perform tasks such as examining slot and video poker machines' electrical designs so patrons don’t get shocked or electrocuted, studying the integrity of casino financial transactions, verifying that online poker systems permit play only in Nevada as the law requires and determining whether table and electronic games rely on truly random draws, shuffles and rolls.

''This is very, very complex. One of the key things we do is ensure electronic devices are random, and that comes down to a high degree of math analysis,'' said Ian Hughes, a senior director at GLI.

Testing and certification in Nevada shifted July 1 from the state to private labs in anticipation of a boom due to the legalization of online intrastate poker.

As a result, GLI added about 75 jobs locally, increasing its total Las Vegas workforce to 137. About 30 more positions still need to be filled. Testing jobs typically pay about $20 per hour.

GLI has operated in Las Vegas since 2001. It previously did contract testing work for the state and for local manufacturers who needed certification in jurisdictions outside of Nevada.

It also is a technical resource for casinos, manufacturers and regulators who can reach out to the lab 24/7 if there’s a problem with a slot machine or other device. A consulting arm of GLI helps manufacturers understand jurisdictional regulations and expectations.

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