Casino Oct08 P26-28 9/29/08 12:18 pm Page 28
TECHNIUM CAST
time being we’re growing the business. We’ve the team as rapidly as we have, nor taken on such a
currently got about 20 staff here. volume of work.
CI: Is everybody based on-site? CI: Does server-based gaming present any
specific hurdles for you, any particular problems
RE: Yes, we’re completely self-contained, other to you as engineers?
than making use of some of the administrative
functions of the University. We run our own IT RE: No, actually quite the reverse, as it’s the
systems and have a number of secure labs and direction we originally came from. When I was in
machine rooms. corporate IT I specialised in client/server
development projects, involving back office systems, a
CI: In terms of location, does being in North middle tier for the logic and business rules, and a
Wales present any problems? user-facing front end. There are so many similarities
with server based gaming that it’s an area where I see
Andrew Rosewarne: We don’t see it as an us having a real advantage. Also, the team within
impediment. The operators of these machines move CAST helped set up the network for this entire
their machines all over the country on a daily basis, building, including all of the private networks,
and to deliver a machine to us here is just one more telephony systems and communications, so it’s an
delivery in their daily schedule. For us it wasn’t really area where I think we bring particular expertise.
a choice as to where we based the business; we were
based here, and the business grew here. AR: I agree. Some of our guys came from IT services
The advantage that we have is that we have the where they were managing 10,000-user systems.
production line of the University turning out people
with great skills, many of whom want to stay in the CI: Is there scope to develop beyond this site
area. We can provide them with the means to do that and the UK?
– people like it here because of the climbing and the
sea [Bangor is bordered by Snowdonia and the North RE: There’s definitely potential. Initially we’re very
Wales coast]. It really is a beautiful place to live. much focused on the UK market, but that doesn’t
necessarily mean we’re only talking to UK
CI: So transport links aren't a problem? manufacturers. Overseas manufacturers shipping
machines into the UK will approach us because of
RE: No, it’s actually quite convenient for a number our knowledge of the UK system, regulations,
of our target markets. It used to be that one of the industry and culture. Plus of course we’re well placed
barriers to doing business in Wales, particularly geographically to do the compliance testing, and are
between north and south, was the road system – it’s currently benefitting from European exchange rates.
very attractive driving but you don’t want to be doing We could in theory expand in any number of ways,
it too frequently. Now that Anglesey Airport is open, and there are definitely opportunities for us in some
you can get down to Cardiff in no time at all. We’re other jurisdictions, but for the time being we’re busy
about an hour and a half from Manchester and enough servicing the UK market.
Liverpool by road, close to Holyhead for ferries to
Dublin, and there are express trains to Euston. CI: What's been the highlight of your first year
in operation? What's the uptake been like for
CI: How long did it take to get Gambling your services?
Commission accreditation? It must have been
tough, being the first company assessed that way. RE: An early highlight was launching our services
at the ATEI/ICE show at Earls Court in January and
RE: From start to finish it was probably round receiving such a warm welcome from the UK industry.
about the six month mark because we weren’t More recently, it’s been incredibly rewarding to see
starting completely from square one – we already what we set out to create working so successfully. We
knew we could do the work, and we had a track had an explosion of interest over the summer as the
record to call upon. The Gambling Commission has deadline for UK compliance drew nearer and we took
selected an internationally recognised standard, ISO on a lot of orders. By 1st September we’d tested 74
17025, as an appropriate entry level for approval, so games and machines for close to 20 companies,
we had to get ourselves ISO accredited first. This including leading industry names such as Astra,
involved scrutiny of our quality system and our Barcrest, Cyberview, Electrocoin and of course
competence to test against the Commission’s Inspired. It’s been a lot of hard work but the team has
technical standards, and then we had to go through really pulled together and we’re very optimistic for
the Commission’s probity and independence checks. the future. There seems to be no let-up either, as
It was a lot of work but the process was extremely we’re already taking orders for games that will be
useful, as we emerged with a tightly documented set launched at next year’s show. It definitely feels like
of standard operating procedures and test methods. we’ve arrived, and we’re very excited about the
Without those, we wouldn’t have been able to expand challenges and new opportunities ahead.
28 OCTOBER 2008
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70