▶ Black Executives On The Rise ▲

June 2026

April Augustine

Gaming Laboratories International Director of Marketing

Hometown:

San Jose, California

First job in the gaming industry:

Systems Marketing Manager at Bally Technologies

What do you like about working in gaming?

It’s an exciting industry. It never stays the same. Innovation is constantly changing. I enjoy seeing how gaming innovations and the science of the gaming ecosystem work from beginning to end and across spaces.

Did anything surprise you about the industry when you first started?

I was surprised to learn how vast the gaming industry is, with the many different types of gaming devices, play mechanics, platforms, verticals, and market audiences. I was also impressed with learning about how vitally important game content is.

Were you familiar with gambling before landing a job in the industry?

When I first moved from the Bay Area, I knew I wanted to work in technology since that was my background. I spent years prior in marketing in Silicon Valley and was concerned that Las Vegas didn’t have many technology companies. I did know about the casino operator side of the gaming industry, but had no idea there was a gaming technology side of the business until one of my classmates in grad school recommended I look into it. I was pursuing my master’s in computer information systems, and one of my classmates, an engineer at a top supplier, asked me whether I had ever considered working in the gaming technology space. I was intrigued to learn more, fascinated, and pleasantly surprised that my marketing communication and tech skills would carry over.

What were your thoughts about gaming before starting to work in the industry?

I assumed gaming was linear and only about B2C player marketing within casino operations. I was amazed to learn that the gaming ecosystem was so much more. In my first few years in, and coming from the Bay, I thought that gaming was a bit behind the curve when it came to technology. Things just moved more slowly. I felt like it was just starting to pick up pace. Now, when I entered the gaming industry, TITO ended, server-based gaming was the rage, and everyone was anticipating the eventual approval of online sports betting in the U.S. with the repeal of PASPA, which was still far in the distance. New international markets were emerging that are now foundational today, and I got to be a part of that growth, starting out on the supplier systems side. I started off marketing a diverse range of player tracking, slot accounting, bonusing, table systems, BIS, payment technology, gaming digital signage, and mobile systems tech, and eventually expanded my role to lead marketing cross-platform game campaigns for in-house and licensed brands. I also developed campaign content kits around game products for casino operators to leverage as they launched their brands for players. I felt that technology was starting to permeate the gaming space, and it was exciting to be part of it. It was a great time to enter the industry. I worked on the supplier side for 9 years, and my mindset shifted when I joined Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), where I learned how important regulatory compliance is for getting gaming innovations to market. Every market makes its own rules. No matter how amazing the products are, if the regulatory framework for the markets suppliers want to enter isn’t established, it’s not happening. There are so many new developments from around the world that customers might want to see. That’s why it’s important for regulators to know about what is coming so they can figure out how to best regulate those new innovations and how those can work with the regulatory rule-making process.

Has your impression of the industry changed at all?

It’s more digitally focused. I feel like gaming is now aligning with the tech industry, moving at an even faster pace than before, especially as AI is emerging across various facets. There are so many new great gaming companies out there pushing the boundaries and innovating at faster speeds.

What major trends do you see emerging in the gaming industry over the next 5 to 10 years?

There are many growth opportunities and emerging threats that are dangerous to both players and the industry at large. There are so many amazing new games out there with strong content moving the needle. The gaming industry has also come a long way, consciously developing and implementing established compliance regulations to keep it safe.

I don’t have a crystal ball, but with the gaming demographic for Sports Betting expanding from early twenties to now in the millennial and Gen X generations, I think the age of those sports-savvy players is broadening. But with the growth of sports betting after Covid, new risks have emerged. I anticipate stronger preventative measures against various forms of illegal gaming with anti-grey markets, sweepstakes, and predictive markets initiatives. With predictive markets emerging, troubling new entities are entering the scene to circumvent legal and ethical safeguards to ensure fair engagement. It’s a direct threat to our industry, and many areas of that genre are unethical.

What advice would you give to aspiring leaders in the gaming industry?

Dive in, never stop learning, take risks, advocate for yourself, find a mentor and a sponsor, network baby-network, don’t be afraid to ask questions, interview and connect with established professionals in the industry, read the gaming publications and digest as much as you can – they will help, have fun, and know the only thing constant in this exciting industry is change. The industry is constantly evolving. Market changes and geopolitical shifts can impact operations. One new innovation may be at the top for one minute, and a shift can change the next due to technology performance issues, poor monetary performance, player demand, gaming landscape changes, legal shifts, or regulatory compliance roadblocks. Some things are hot one moment and iffy the next, depending on the challenges of regulatory, operator, and supplier alignment.

Is there anything else you want to share about yourself, your journey or the industry.

I’ve been in the gaming industry for nearly 20 years, nine years on the supplier side, marketing systems, lease and for sale games, and mobile technology, and ten years on the independent test lab side, marketing testing, certification, consulting, and training services, where I’ve been exposed to literally every aspect of gaming that has completely changed my perspective on how amazing this industry is. I’ve seen many changes throughout my career with Tribal Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Lotteries, iLotteries, Social Games, Charitable Games, Online Gaming, Sports Betting, DFS, HHR, Standards, cybersecurity, eSports, and more. I’ve worked for, alongside, and with some extremely talented and passionate game changers that have left positive long-lasting impressions that have shaped the way I see this industry. And just when I thought I had learned so much about gaming on the supplier side, my mind was blown working on the ITL side. Learning how different markets work, what’s illegal in some markets, but totally fine in others.

Reflecting today, working across various gaming verticals has been a full-circle experience. I lead marketing strategy and operations across North America, APAC, EMEIA, LatAm, and the Caribbean, spanning over 715 jurisdictions, working with over 2,000 suppliers, and I am privileged to work with an amazing global marketing team. I’m incredibly grateful for the journey, and as a leader in global marketing, I strive to support our customers and the market to better understand how GLI and its companies can help their products get to market on time, on budget, and with the highest quality, and communicate the company’s brand presence in a way that spotlights how to better understand the compliance nuances of upcoming innovations.

On a personal note, I’m a wife, mother to an amazing 17-year-old son…I can’t believe how fast time has flown. I was pregnant on the G2E floor years ago. I’ll never forget that.