GLI-20 v2.0: Gaming Kiosk Certification Requirements for Self-Service Terminals

GLI-20 v2.0, revised 14 May 2019, is Gaming Laboratories International’s binding technical standard for gaming kiosks and self-service terminals. Every supplier or operator deploying a kiosk that handles regulated financial transactions, whether that means redeeming a printed voucher, loading a player account, or dispensing event-wagering winnings, must obtain GLI-20 certification from an independent test laboratory (ITL) before that kiosk can be placed into regulated service. The standard is structured in seven functional chapters covering hardware, environmental tolerance, physical security, software integrity, operations, accounting, and communications, and it applies to the full range of kiosk architectures from purpose-built enclosures to modified commercial off-the-shelf (MOTS) assemblies.

Which kiosks require GLI-20 certification?

GLI-20 v2.0 Chapter 1 draws a clear line: a kiosk requires certification under this standard when it performs any regulated financial function on behalf of a gaming operation. The standard defines five host-interface categories that determine both scope and the relevant companion standards a submission must satisfy.

Wagering instrument issuance and redemption kiosks, the classic ticket-in/ticket-out (TITO) redemption terminal, interface with a Validation System and must meet the full GLI-20 hardware, software, and logging stack. Player account management kiosks, which allow players to register, deposit, withdraw, or redeem cashable promotional credits, interface with a Cashless Wagering System or Promotional System, these kiosks are specifically excluded from the scope of kiosks used solely for redemption of promotional points for merchandise or services. Event wagering kiosks, where players place wagers or redeem winning tickets, connect to an Event Wagering System. Games-of-chance consumable purchase and redemption kiosks, covering raffle tickets, lottery tickets, pull-tabs, bingo cards, and keno tickets, interface with the relevant host systems for each game type. Bill-breaking kiosks, which exchange large-denomination currency for smaller denominations, round out the five categories.

A single physical terminal may perform multiple functions. In that case, all applicable requirements across each relevant category apply simultaneously, and the certification submission must address each functional mode.

Kiosk Category	Primary Host Interface	Player Account Transactions in Scope
Wagering Instrument Issuance / Redemption	Validation System (TITO)	No, vouchers / coupons only
Player Account Management	Cashless Wagering / Promotional System	Yes, deposits, withdrawals, cashable credits
Event Wagering	Event Wagering System	Conditional, winning redemptions
Games-of-Chance Consumable Purchase / Redemption	Applicable game host system	No, instrument purchase and redemption
Bill Breaking	None (stand-alone dispensing)	No

Hardware requirements: what the ITL tests

Chapter 2 of GLI-20 v2.0 addresses the physical terminal. The kiosk must be identifiable by model number and manufacturer identification. The on/off switch must be located inside a secured area of the terminal, with on and off positions clearly labelled. Touch screen displays must meet specifications set out in the standard, and wired communication ports must be clearly labelled and securely housed to prevent unauthorised access to ports or their associated cable connectors.

The standard acknowledges the increasing deployment of COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) components such as PCs or tablets. For MOTS (modified off-the-shelf) assemblies, Chapter 2 requirements apply only to the modifications made to the components, unless the regulatory body directs otherwise. Manufacturers using COTS or MOTS architectures should document their modification scope precisely before submission, because the ITL will determine which hardware provisions apply based on that boundary.

Player safety is addressed separately from security. The kiosk’s electrical and mechanical design must not subject a player to any physical hazard. The ITL does not assess electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) or radio frequency interference (RFI); those obligations remain with the manufacturer or purchaser under separate statute, regulation, or law applicable to the deployment jurisdiction.

Environmental resilience: the tolerance thresholds

GLI-20 v2.0 Section 2.3 sets quantitative thresholds for environmental resilience. These are not aspirational benchmarks, they are test criteria that the ITL applies during evaluation.

For electrostatic discharge (ESD), the kiosk may exhibit temporary disruption when subjected to a significant external ESD event at a severity level of 15 kV air discharge. Following any temporary disruption, the kiosk must recover and complete any interrupted operation without loss or corruption of locally stored control information or critical data.

For power surges, the kiosk terminal must not be adversely affected, other than a reset, by surges or dips of plus or minus 10% of the supply voltage. Where the kiosk resets, no damage to equipment or loss or corruption of locally stored data may occur that cannot be automatically recovered from the back-office platform. Alternatively, the kiosk may be equipped with an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) or battery backup that, upon detecting power loss, allows the completion of the current transaction before ceasing operations.

These thresholds are notably tighter for power surges than those set for standard gaming devices under GLI-11 v3.0 (September 2016), which tolerates plus or minus 20% supply voltage. The tighter GLI-20 tolerance reflects the financial-transaction nature of kiosk operations, where mid-transaction resets carry a higher risk of accounting discrepancy than a gaming device reset between spins.

Physical security and tamper detection

Section 2.6 of GLI-20 v2.0 is the most operationally consequential chapter for kiosks that contain cash-handling peripherals. Its requirements apply specifically to kiosk terminals that perform transactions using peripheral devices installed within the enclosure, in practice any kiosk with a bill validator, stacker, hopper, or printer.

“External doors and their associated hinges shall be capable of withstanding determined and unauthorized efforts to gain access to the interior of the kiosk terminal and shall leave conspicuous evidence of tampering if such an attempt is made.”

The standard adds two further requirements for door seals: the seal between the terminal and the external door must resist the entry of objects, and it must not be possible to insert an object through the sealed door that disables a door open sensor while the door is fully closed, without leaving conspicuous evidence of tampering. All external doors must also support the installation of locks.

Door monitoring is mandatory. Any door providing access to a secure area must be monitored by door access detection software. That software must register a door as open when the door moves from its fully closed and locked position, provided power is supplied to the kiosk. When any such door registers open, the kiosk must cease operation immediately and display an appropriate error message. That error condition must be communicated to the back-office platform when the kiosk supports such communication. The standard also requires occurrence meters that accumulate the number of times each external door, including the main door, drop-box door, and currency-area doors, has been opened since the last non-volatile memory clear, forming a mandatory audit trail for every door event.

Software integrity and control program authentication

Chapter 3 of GLI-20 v2.0 covers software requirements, and its control-program authentication provisions are among the most rigorously enforced in any GLI standard applicable to physical gaming equipment.

The control program, defined as any software that controls kiosk behaviours relative to an applicable technical standard or regulatory requirement, must be capable of self-verification. The authentication mechanism must employ a cryptographic hash algorithm producing a message digest of at least 128 bits. Other methodologies may be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the regulatory body and ITL, but the 128-bit minimum is the floor. On a failed authentication, whether from a program mismatch or a hash failure, the kiosk must cease operation and display an appropriate error message, and the error condition must be communicated to the back-office platform.

Independent software verification is a separate requirement from self-verification. It must be possible to perform an independent integrity check of the kiosk software from an outside source for all control programs that affect kiosk integrity. This verification may be accomplished via a third-party application running from the kiosk or back-office platform, by allowing a third-party device to authenticate the media, or by allowing removal of the media for external verification. The ITL evaluates the integrity check method before software approval, and the regulatory body approves the outcome.

Critical non-volatile (NV) memory must be checked comprehensively upon power-up and program resumption. Unrecoverable corruption of critical NV memory must result in an error that halts operations, displays a message, and causes all external communication to cease. The standard explicitly notes that this requirement is not intended to preclude hard disk drives or other alternate storage media, such media must maintain critical data integrity in a manner consistent with the NV memory requirements, as applicable to the specific storage technology.

Peripheral component standards and GLI cross-references

GLI-20 v2.0 Section 2.7 does not attempt to stand alone on peripheral requirements. Instead, it routes specific component types to established GLI standards that the ITL will apply during evaluation, subject to any jurisdictional requirements that take precedence.

Bill validators, diverters, and drop boxes are evaluated against the relevant sections of GLI-11: Standards for Gaming Devices, as applicable. Integrated player identification components, including card readers, PIN pads, and similar devices, must meet applicable jurisdictional requirements, in the absence of specific jurisdictional standards, the relevant sections of GLI-11 apply. The player-tracking-only and promotional-points-for-merchandise exemption is explicitly stated: these requirements do not apply to kiosks used exclusively for player tracking or for redemption of promotional points for merchandise or services. Hoppers and printers are similarly evaluated against GLI-11’s machine payment and machine voucher sections.

One important carve-out in the cross-reference: the GLI-11 requirement that error conditions “sound an alarm and/or illuminate a tower light” does not apply to kiosks. Error conditions for kiosks must instead be communicated to the back-office platform when that functionality is supported.

How GLI-20 and GLI-16 interact in cashless deployments

Operators deploying kiosks in cashless-enabled environments need to understand where GLI-20 certification ends and GLI-16 begins. The two standards address distinct components of a cashless gaming ecosystem and are not substitutes for each other.

GLI-16: Standards for Cashless Systems and Technologies v3.0 governs the Cashless System itself, covering the hardware, software, firmware, communications technology, and operator procedures that enable players to participate in wagering using an approved authentication method linked to a player account or electronic payment account. GLI-16 sets requirements for how the system manages account balances, processes WAT (Wireless Accounting Transfer) transactions, handles transfer failures, and manages direct account wagering.

GLI-20 governs the kiosk terminal that interfaces with that Cashless System. When a player inserts cash at a kiosk to fund their player account, the transaction flow spans both standards: GLI-20 governs everything happening inside the kiosk enclosure and its communication to the back-office platform, GLI-16 governs the account-side processing of that transaction on the Cashless System. Both certificates are required when a kiosk supports WAT In and WAT Out operations.

GLI-20 v2.0 requires the kiosk to maintain dedicated accounting meters for Player Account Transfer In (WAT In) and Player Account Transfer Out (WAT Out), each accumulating the total value of cashable credits electronically transferred to and from a player account through a host system, forming a direct data-integrity complement to the GLI-16 system-side records.

For compliance teams certifying a kiosk that supports account funding and cashless transfers, the submission sequence matters. GLI-16 certification of the host Cashless System should be completed or concurrent with the GLI-20 kiosk submission, because the ITL will need to verify communication integrity between the two certified components. Operators selecting between GLI standards for certification should confirm with their ITL at the outset which host-system certificates are required as a precondition for GLI-20 testing.

Electronic meters and transaction logs: the audit artefacts

Chapter 3, Section 3.7 of GLI-20 v2.0 defines the mandatory electronic meters and logs. These are not optional reporting features, they are certification requirements, and their absence or misconfiguration will result in a test failure.

Electronic accounting meters must be at least ten digits in length, with eight digits for the dollar amount and two for cents. Meters roll over to zero at their maximum logical value and must be labelled to reflect their function. The required accounting meters include handpay (attendant payments when the kiosk cannot make proper payment); physical coin in and out, bill in and out, voucher in and out, WAT in and out, Cashable Electronic Promotion (CEP) in and out, and Non-Cashable Electronic Promotion (NCEP) in and out. Only meters relevant to the kiosk’s configured functionality are required, a bill-breaking kiosk has no WAT meters.

The Transaction Log is a separate mandatory artefact. For each transaction, it must record a timestamp, the transaction type (bill in, voucher in, voucher out, WAT, CEP, or other transaction type); for wagering instrument transactions, the denomination and at least the last four digits of the validation number, with further display restrictions depending on whether the display is at the kiosk or the back-office platform, and for player account transactions, either the account number or a unique transaction number that can authenticate the source of the funds. Items accepted by the bill validator may be omitted from the Transaction Log if a timestamped bill validator recall log is maintained for the last five items accepted, by item type and denomination.

The Significant Event Log must store the last 100 significant events with an appropriate timestamp in one or more secure logs not accessible to the player. What constitutes a significant event is defined by the regulatory body, but door opens, authentication failures, and tilt conditions are expected inclusions across virtually all jurisdictions.

What the GLI-20 submission package must include

Suppliers and operators presenting a kiosk for GLI-20 certification must provide documentation, credentials, and access to a production-equivalent test environment. The ITL evaluates the kiosk against each applicable chapter of the standard and, upon successful completion, issues a certificate of compliance evidencing conformance with GLI-20 v2.0 as a whole, there is no partial certification by chapter.

The submission must support the ITL’s ability to verify hardware identification and safety compliance, environmental resilience through the ESD and power-surge test protocols, physical security, including door construction, tamper evidence, and door-monitoring software, control program authentication via the required hash mechanism and independent verification method, NV memory integrity checks, player interface functionality across all configured transaction types, meter accuracy across all applicable accounting meters, and Transaction Log and Significant Event Log content and retention.

Where a kiosk uses COTS or MOTS components, the submission documentation should clearly delineate which components are unmodified commercial hardware and which have been modified, because the ITL’s scope is limited to the modifications for MOTS assemblies unless the regulatory body specifies otherwise. Incomplete boundary documentation is a common cause of scope disputes and re-submission requirements in practice.

For a broader view of how GLI-20 fits within GLI’s overall technical standards framework alongside standards such as GLI-11, GLI-16, GLI-19, and GLI-33, compliance teams should review the GLI certification hub for the complete standard series.

Jurisdictional adoption and regulatory acceptance

GLI-20 v2.0 is described in the standard itself as a living document “that will be tailored periodically to align with this developing industry over time as gaming implementations and operations evolve.” This language signals that jurisdictional regulators may apply the standard with supplemental requirements or waivers, and in practice, they do.

Regulatory bodies in North American gaming jurisdictions, including state gaming commissions across the United States and provincial regulators in Canada, routinely specify GLI-20 as the baseline kiosk certification requirement, sometimes with jurisdiction-specific addenda addressing items such as AML-related transaction thresholds, player identification requirements at the kiosk, or responsible gambling messaging on the player interface. Compliance teams should obtain the specific certification requirements from the relevant regulatory body before beginning a GLI-20 submission, because a certificate from an ITL evidencing GLI-20 v2.0 conformance does not automatically satisfy any jurisdiction-specific addenda that the regulator has imposed on top of the base standard.

Integrated player identification components at the kiosk, including card readers and PIN-entry devices, must meet applicable jurisdictional requirements first, with GLI-11 acting as the fallback standard in the absence of specific jurisdictional rules. This means AML-facing KYC requirements at the kiosk level, including player identification at point of redemption, are primarily a matter of the regulatory body’s KYC rules, not GLI-20 itself. Operators deploying kiosks where large cash-out transactions are anticipated should confirm local AML thresholds and player identification obligations with qualified legal counsel in each relevant jurisdiction, a broader overview of AML and financial compliance obligations across regulated gaming markets is available for operators mapping these requirements across multiple jurisdictions.

Frequently asked questions

Does a loyalty-points redemption kiosk require GLI-20 certification?

GLI-20 v2.0 explicitly excludes kiosks used solely for the redemption of promotional points for merchandise or services from several of its requirements, including integrated player identification component requirements. However, if the kiosk also redeems cashable promotional credits or performs any financial transaction affecting a player’s wagering balance, GLI-20 certification is required for those functions. Operators should confirm this scope boundary with the applicable regulatory body before treating a loyalty kiosk as exempt.

Can a GLI-20 certificate cover multiple kiosk models from the same manufacturer?

GLI-20 certification is model-specific. Each distinct kiosk model, defined by hardware configuration, software version, and functional scope, requires its own certification. Where a manufacturer produces a kiosk family with shared software but variant hardware configurations (different peripheral sets or enclosure designs), each configuration that materially affects the certified scope must be presented to the ITL. The GLI-20 standard’s MOTS provisions allow the ITL to limit scope to modifications, which can reduce re-testing burden for incremental hardware variants, but the base certification remains model-specific.

What triggers a re-certification requirement after a kiosk is initially certified?

Any change to the control program or to hardware components affecting physical security, transaction processing, or accounting integrity triggers a re-certification or at minimum a change-approval submission to the ITL and regulatory body. Configuration changes to regulated operations, including transaction limits, may only be performed by secure means under GLI-20 v2.0 Section 3.5. Operators should maintain documented change-management procedures that route any kiosk software update through the ITL before deployment, rather than treating kiosk software changes as routine IT updates.

Is GLI-20 certification sufficient for a kiosk that supports cashless account funding?

No. A kiosk supporting WAT In or WAT Out transactions interfaces with a Cashless System governed by GLI-16. Both the kiosk (GLI-20) and the Cashless System (GLI-16) require independent certification. The GLI-20 certificate alone does not cover the account-management and session integrity requirements imposed on the Cashless System by GLI-16 v3.0.

Key Resources

GLI-20: Standards for Kiosks, Version 2.0 (Revision Date: 14 May 2019), Gaming Laboratories International. The primary certification standard governing all gaming kiosks and self-service terminals. Available from GLI at gaminglabs.com.

GLI-16: Standards for Cashless Systems and Technologies, Version 3.0, Gaming Laboratories International. Companion standard for the Cashless System host interfacing with account-management kiosks.

GLI-11: Standards for Gaming Devices, Version 3.0 (September 2016), Gaming Laboratories International. Cross-referenced in GLI-20 for bill validator, player identification component, hopper, and printer requirements where no specific jurisdictional standard applies. To begin your compliance planning for GLI-20 certification, review the full GLI standards certification framework and connect with your independent test laboratory to establish your submission timeline and jurisdictional requirements.