Case Study
GLI & METRON SERV
Strengthening Romania’s Gaming Market by Building Local Capability
In Romania, GLI adopted a collaborative market‑entry model built on partnership and knowledge‑sharing. By working closely with METRON SERV, GLI has focused on transferring international expertise, supporting skills development, and strengthening local capability. This approach enables effective market access while contributing to sustainable, long‑term capacity within Romania.
GLI’s strategy in Romania reflects a broader commitment to working with established local stakeholders and building on existing strengths. Rather than operating independently, GLI chose to collaborate with METRON SERV to support the continued development of the local testing and compliance ecosystem.
This shared vision has shaped the collaboration from the beginning, creating a partnership model based on trust, complementarity, and long‑term value for the Romanian market.
A Deliberate Choice: Build, Don’t Compete
Romania’s updated technical requirements for gaming devices introduced a more structured, but also more complex, regulatory environment. For suppliers, certification was only one part of the journey. The real challenge was navigating local approval and implementation.
GLI already had the global expertise, operating across more than 710 jurisdictions. What it chose not to do was replicate that capability locally by building its own lab.
Instead, it partnered with METRON.
“When the legislation changed, we recognised that we needed to grow into this space,” says Cătălin Popescu, Director of METRON SERV. “GLI didn’t come in to compete with us. They came in to work with us, and that made all the difference.”
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Transferring Experience, Not Just Delivering Reports
At a surface level, the model is straightforward. GLI handles testing and certification. METRON handles local verification, type approval, and regulatory submission.
But the real value sits behind that structure.
GLI brings international experience, tested across hundreds of jurisdictions. Through the partnership, that experience is actively transferred to METRON, shaping how it approaches testing, verification, and regulatory interpretation.
For METRON, this has accelerated its development in a way that would have been difficult to achieve independently. “Working with GLI has exposed us to international standards and practices at a level we didn’t have before,” says Popescu. “It’s helped us grow into a stronger, more technically capable laboratory.”
Raising the Standard Locally
This approach has had a direct impact on the Romanian market. By embedding global standards into local processes, the partnership has raised the level of technical scrutiny, consistency, and confidence in the system.” We verify what has been certified,” Popescu explains. “But we now do that with a deeper understanding of the standards behind it. That’s where the partnership really adds value.”
For suppliers, the benefit is a clearer and more predictable pathway into the market. For the regulator, it means stronger oversight supported by a capable local partner.
And for METRON, it means operating at a higher level, without losing its local identity.
More Than a Partnership
At its core, the collaboration between GLI and METRON is driven by a shared purpose: delivering a high‑quality, reliable service to customers operating in Romania, while working constructively and transparently with the Romanian regulator. The partnership is built on openness, knowledge‑sharing, and a mutual commitment to strengthening the local compliance ecosystem for the long term.
For METRON, the impact is clear.
It is this alignment—between global expertise, local capability, customer needs, and regulatory engagement—that truly sets this collaboration apart.
Ultimately, we have a common goal in delivering a great service to our customers doing business in Romania, as well as working closely with the regulatory authorities to ensure compliance and maintain high standards across all our operations.
