Canadian Gaming Service is the new kid on the video gaming block

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BY ALAN COCHRANE
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF

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Darren Sherwood sees himself as the underdog in the international video gaming industry and is hoping his Moncton-based company -- Canadian Gaming Service -- will be picked to provide machines for the new casino now under construction near Magnetic Hill.

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Darren Sherwood, President/CEO,Canadian Gaming Service Ltd. based in Moncton is hoping to land some of their machines in the new Casino New Brunswick when it opens.

"We're the new kid on the block and in this business nobody wants to give you a shot until you can prove that you have a dependable product and you can deliver. We're hoping that getting into the casino will give me the experience and the shot that I need to get me going."

Casino New Brunswick is scheduled to open next year and will be operated by Sonco Gaming of Halifax. The casino will have 600 slot machines, 20 tables, eight poker tables, a high limit room, food beverage facilities, a 128-room hotel and multi-purpose theatre and convention centre. Officials with Sonco have said they want to have as much local content and employees as possible.

"But no orders (for games) have gone to anybody and we're hoping that since we are a Moncton-based company and a real Canadian-owned company, we will get a piece of it."

Sherwood says Canadian Gaming Service is a truly local company that is already proving itself to be a player on the international market. Sherwood was employed with Hi-Tech Gaming for several years before he started his own company in 2000 and now has 18 years of experience in the industry.

Canadian Gaming Service started out servicing and selling video gaming machines from other manufacturers, and has also been in the business of refurbishing and reselling used machines to countries all over the world. The company also sells stands for the games and stools for use by players.

But over the last few years, the company has been developing its new product, The Razar, modern electronic slot machine that features two 19-inch LCD monitors. It can be equipped with several different games with a touch screen and is designed with ergonomic features that encourage longer play from casino visitors. The games are assembled at the company's facility in the Caledonia Industrial park.

Canadian Gaming Service currently employs nine people, including a sales representative in Montreal. Sherwood said he could expand quickly to meet new orders.