Nicolas Southern
Nicolas Southern

Austin, TX

I work at New Market Entertainment

I build our gaming products and I keep the systems behind them running. Most weeks that means some mix of Unity and C#, a TypeScript or Python tool, cloud work, and a machine in the field that decided to have a bad day.

Security has become a bigger part of that job over the last few years. I review our own apps, I built Lockhaven so internal services are not sitting on the public internet, and I watch an OpenSearch SIEM on the gaming endpoints. That is just how we handle cyber and compliance for these systems. Not a separate company.

Certs

OSWE
Jun 2026. White-box web exploitation
OSCP+
Jul 2025. OffSec Certified Professional
OSWP
Apr 2026. Wireless
eJPT
Junior Penetration Tester

CompTIA

A+
Done
Network+
Done
Security+
In progress

Experience

Operations and Product Development at New Market Entertainment

2011 – Present · Austin, TX

How NME handles cyber, risk, and compliance for its gaming systems.

Legal parent: Highland Consulting. Related: eTabs, Manatee Bingo, VSweeps.

  • I built Manatee Bingo and I still support it. Unity/C# pull-tabs, cloud licensing and accounting, and the usual field surprises.
  • Lucky Spur and the other NME gaming products came out of the same kind of work. Build the client, get it into locations, keep it up.
  • I also built the USVSD application portal at usvsd.org, plus a bunch of TypeScript, Python, and C#/.NET tools we actually use.
  • When a site goes down or a box misbehaves, that is usually me. Cloud, deploys, endpoints, the unglamorous part.
  • On the security side I review our apps, I built Lockhaven, and I watch OpenSearch SIEM on the gaming endpoints.
Full experience →

Projects

Manatee Bingo

Manatee Bingo

Electronic pull-tabs for the Florida market. I built the Unity/C# client and the cloud side for licensing, accounting, and deploys, and I still support it in the field.

Learn more →
Lucky Spur

Lucky Spur

A sweepstakes platform for the Texas VFW market. Built in Unity under New Market Entertainment, next to Manatee Bingo and VSweeps.

Learn more →
USVSD Application Portal

USVSD Application Portal

Application portal for United States Veteran Service Dogs. Intake, staff review, case management. HIPAA-aware. Live at usvsd.org.

Learn more →
All projects →

Cyber

Lockhaven

In-house WireGuard access plane. Internal services stay off the public internet.

View tool →

API Griffer

Lightweight API route discovery for authorized testing and lab work.

View tool →
All cyber work →

Writing

The Case For Gray

blogworkgaming

Why gray area gaming is more nuanced than people admit, and why treating it as purely black-and-white misses the operational, market, and consumer realities.

Life Lately

blogpersonal

A lot has changed again. Family, flying, hunting, work, travel, and a reminder that time is a lot shorter than we like to pretend.

Conventions and Airplanes

blogpersonal

I've been to a convention, and I'm going to another one next week. I'm excited to see where this goes, and I'm excited to share my journey with you.

All writing →