The evolution of digital gaming demands more specialized control infrastructures. In 2025, GLI advanced in that direction with new tools, greater regional presence, and a strategy that prioritizes anticipating events to act with determination, providing confidence to its clients. In the following interview, James Maida, president of GLI, shares what 2025 brought him and future projections.
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BALANCE AND EXPECTATIONS
GLI closes 2025 with a global network of more than 1600 professionals. What do you consider to be the most relevant achievements of the year?
2025 was an exciting year for GLI, as we drove our exponential growth to anticipate client demand. Brazil, as your readers know well, continues to evolve rapidly, and already in 2024, we anticipated a significant increase in testing demand starting in 2025. In response, we integrated Trisigma’s global professionals into GLI and launched a massive global hiring campaign to ensure we had the best trained testing teams.
All of this process was carried out while maintaining the highest quality standards that regulators expect from GLI, meeting deadlines and budgets. During 2025, we hired nearly 300 new testers and technical personnel. Thanks to this, we continue to perform the vast majority of tests in Brazil and Latin America, reaffirming our commitment to being proactive and anticipating client needs to offer them the best possible service.
INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY AT GLI
Given the growing regulatory complexity, the expansion of digital gaming, and increased technological demands, what significant innovations did GLI introduce in 2025?
We launched the new GLIAccess®, which offers an improved user experience and the implementation of a dashboard for various self-service options, online reporting, and optimized project tracking, approvals, and onboarding. The design further eliminates friction from the first interaction to final delivery.
We are also very proud to offer the industry’s first and only security standard in gaming: the GLI Gaming Security Framework. This responds to strong concerns about cybersecurity and the sustained increase in costs associated with cyber insurance.
To create it, we drew on 37 years of knowledge, global best practices for information security, and joint work with Bulletproof Solutions, in addition to gathering feedback from industry stakeholders.
GLI-GSF integrates the CIS Controls, developed by the Center for Internet Security (CIS), as a foundation to ensure robust security measures. This launch was followed by three new modules:
• GLI Gaming Security Framework Module 3 (GLI-GSF-3) v1.0: Gaming Information Security (GIS) Controls Audit – Vendor Controls
• GLI Gaming Security Framework Module 4 (GLI-GSF-4) v1.0: Gaming Information Security (GIS) Controls Audit – Land-based Gaming Controls
• GLI Gaming Security Framework Module 5 (GLI-GSF-5) v1.0: Gaming Information Security (GIS) Controls Audit – Online Gaming Controls
Artificial intelligence is increasingly applied to the gaming sector. What AI-based initiatives has GLI implemented, and what new applications do you foresee for 2026?
In recent years, GLI has focused on analyzing every customer touchpoint and internal process, from back-office operations to development and testing teams. As a result, the company has incorporated artificial intelligence into test automation and initiatives aimed at improving the overall customer experience. Looking ahead to 2026, GLI plans to expand these AI-based tools across all its processes, always with direct human supervision to ensure that the engineers’ experience remains central to quality and reliability.
GLI has incorporated “Test Automation” among its services. How does it impact the certification cycle?
We launched our Test Automation technology more than five years ago, when AI was not yet a topic of discussion. This automation allows us to perform more exhaustive tests, covering many more tests and scenarios in much less time, providing greater confidence to suppliers, regulators, and operators.
We use AI as a support tool, but not as the only one. All our methodologies that use test automation and AI require human review and supervision to ensure we continuously meet the highest quality standards. Additionally, we have quality control teams, which we call QA teams, that review our entire work product before certification.
In terms of cybersecurity, what role did GLI’s professional services play in 2025? What will be the main focus for 2026?
In 2025, we tested more client systems and applications for cybersecurity compliance than in any previous year. Casinos, operators, suppliers, and even entire state government systems were attacked, meaning cybersecurity is a major concern and the gaming industry needs to continuously strengthen itself. In 2026, we will use tools like the Gaming Security Framework and other standards to ensure that clients seeking the best in cybersecurity have that opportunity.
EXPANSION AND PROSPECTS
GLI began operations in Brazil this year. What are the expectations and challenges?
We have been working with the Brazilian government for over 20 years (federal, legislative, and various state governments) to assist them in the legislative and regulatory sphere. Today, we have offices and local staff in Brazil, and our activity extends to supporting global suppliers who wish to establish themselves in this market.
Thinking about the next 30 to 40 years. What is your long-term vision for GLI?
Although the future of technological development is uncertain, GLI continues to position itself at the forefront of new jurisdictions and technologies to offer world-class service globally. The company’s vision is not centered on individual people, but on succession and long-term sustainability. Looking ahead to the next 30 to 40 years, GLI aspires to be a trusted benchmark in the industry, recognized for its reliability and for highly personalized, world-class service, consistently meeting and exceeding the expectations associated with the GLI name.
Technology and security: GLI’s new strategic axis
2025 marked a strong year for GLI, with team expansion, new security standards and growing automation. In 2026, the company is preparing to continue supporting its clients amid an increasingly complex digital gaming landscape.
The evolution of digital gaming demands increasingly specialized control infrastructures. In 2025, GLI moved in that direction by introducing new tools, expanding its regional presence, and pursuing a strategy focused on anticipating developments in order to act decisively and provide confidence to its clients. In the following interview, James Maida, President of GLI, shares his key takeaways from 2025 and the company’s outlook for the future.
BALANCE AND EXPECTATIONS
GLI closes 2025 with a global network of more than 1,600 professionals. What do you consider to be the most relevant achievements of the year?
2025 was an exciting year for GLI, as we accelerated our growth to stay ahead of client demand. As your readers know well, Brazil continues to evolve rapidly, and already in 2024 we anticipated a significant increase in testing demand starting in 2025.
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In response, we integrated Trisigma’s global professionals into GLI and launched a large-scale global hiring initiative to ensure we had the most highly trained testing teams available.
All of this was achieved while maintaining the highest quality standards that regulators expect from GLI, meeting timelines and budgets. During 2025, we hired nearly 300 new testers and technical professionals. As a result, we continue to conduct the vast majority of our product testing in Brazil and Latin America, reaffirming our commitment to being proactive and anticipating client needs to deliver world class customer service.
INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY AT GLI
Given increasing regulatory complexity, the expansion of digital gaming and rising technological demands, what major innovations did GLI introduce in 2025?
We launched the new GLIAccess®, which delivers an improved user experience, including a dashboard that enables self-service options, online reporting, project tracking, streamlined approvals and onboarding. The design further reduces friction to creates a seamless process from start to finish.
We were also very proud to introduce the industry’s first and only gaming security standard: the GLI Gaming Security Framework (GLI-GSF). This initiative responds to growing cybersecurity concerns and the sustained rise in cyber insurance costs.
The framework is built on 37 years of industry knowledge, global best practices in information security, and close collaboration with Bulletproof Solutions, as well as feedback from key industry stakeholders.
GLI-GSF integrates the CIS Controls developed by the Center for Internet Security (CIS) as a foundation to ensure robust security measures. Following its launch, three new modules were introduced:
GLI Gaming Security Framework Module 3 (GLI-GSF-3) v1.0: Gaming Information Security (GIS) Controls Audit – Vendor Controls
GLI Gaming Security Framework Module 4 (GLI-GSF-4) v1.0: Gaming Information Security (GIS) Controls Audit – Land-based Gaming Controls
GLI Gaming Security Framework Module 5 (GLI-GSF-5) v1.0: Gaming Information Security (GIS) Controls Audit – Online Gaming Controls
Artificial intelligence is increasingly applied within the gaming sector. What AI-driven initiatives has GLI implemented, and what do you foresee for 2026?
Over the past few years, GLI has focused on analyzing every customer touchpoint and internal process, from back-office operations to development and testing. As a result, the company has implemented AI in testing automation and in initiatives designed to enhance the overall customer experience. Looking ahead to 2026, GLI anticipates expanding these AI-based tools across its processes, always with direct human oversight to ensure that experienced engineers remain central to quality and reliability.
GLI has incorporated “Test Automation” among its services. How does it impact the certification cycle?
We launched our Test Automation technology more than five years ago, before AI became a mainstream topic. This automation enables deeper testing, covering more scenarios in significantly less time, providing greater confidence to suppliers, regulators and operators.
AI is used as a supporting tool, not a standalone solution. All methodologies involving automation and AI are subject to human review and oversight. In addition, GLI has independent Quality Assurance (QA) teams that review all work products prior to certification.
From a cybersecurity standpoint, what role did GLI’s professional services play in 2025, and what is the focus for 2026?
In 2025, we tested more client systems and applications for cybersecurity compliance than in any previous year. Casinos, operators, suppliers and even full state government systems were targeted by cyberattacks, underscoring the need for constant reinforcement of cybersecurity across the gaming industry. In 2026, we will continue leveraging tools such as the Gaming Security Framework and other standards to ensure that clients seeking the highest levels of cybersecurity can achieve them.
EXPANSION AND OUTLOOK
GLI launched operations in Brazil this year. What are the expectations and challenges?
We have worked with the Brazilian government for more than 20 years—at the federal, legislative and state levels, to help them legislatively and with regulations. Today, we have offices and local staff in Brazil, and our work extends to supporting global suppliers seeking to enter the market.
Looking ahead 30 to 40 years, what is your long-term vision for GLI?
Although future technological developments remain uncertain, GLI continues to position itself at the forefront of emerging jurisdictions and technologies to deliver world-class service globally. The company’s vision is not centered on individuals, but on succession and long-term sustainability. Looking ahead 30 to 40 years, GLI aims to be a trusted, recognized benchmark in the industry—known for reliability and highly personalized, world-class service—consistently meeting and exceeding the expectations clients associate with the GLI name.
While we cannot predict where technology will be decades from now, we continue positioning GLI to remain at the forefront of emerging jurisdictions and technologies. GLI is not about its founders; it is about succession and sustainability.
Much like a trusted global retailer, clients turn to GLI because they know they will receive reliable, high-quality service. Over the next 30 to 40 years, our mission is to provide the industry with unmatched reliability and personalized, world-class service—exactly what is expected from GLI.
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