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FGS UK

A digital collaboration with FGS UK: Calm in the chaos, sharp on delivery

FGS UK is a leading provider of content, technology, and platforms to the gaming industry. Following a change in ownership of a key digital supplier, FGS UK needed to secure stability for a critical platform already in active development. Cantarus was brought in to contribute to the ongoing technical delivery and help maintain delivery momentum, working as part of a wider, multi-vendor team.

The Challenge

FGS UK was mid-way through delivering a large-scale project with a Canadian national lottery when a conflict of interest meant the client’s existing Umbraco and .NET development agency could no longer remain involved. With development well underway, additional technical capacity was needed to keep the project on track and maintain continuity with the existing stack. 

This multi-region project involved cross-functional teams and suppliers spanning the UK, France, Spain, Portugal, and Canada. FGS UK needed trusted partners who could integrate quickly, reduce delivery risk, and collaborate effectively across time zones.


The Partnership 

Cantarus was engaged to support FGS UK in two key areas: 

  • Out-of-Hours (OOH) Support: Operating under a Team as a Service (TaaS) model, Cantarus provided round-the-clock support for critical incidents and deployments, contributing expertise across DevOps, infrastructure, and frontend development. 
  • Embedded Technical Contributor: Our team worked closely with FGS UK’s internal teams and other suppliers, collaborating with teammates and managers to deliver key aspects of the project. Rather than taking over delivery, we integrated into the existing multi-vendor environment, supporting continuity and stability as part of a collective effort.  

This flexible approach meant FGS UK could continue progressing key workstreams without disruption, while scaling support as needed. 

This was one of the most technically and operationally complex projects we’ve inherited, and I’m incredibly proud of how the team rose to the challenge. We integrated at pace, stabilised delivery, and helped build a platform that FGS UK can confidently grow on – it’s a great example of what strong collaboration can achieve.

Mike Cundall Chief Operating Officer, Cantarus

Our Solution 

With contributors spread across multiple regions, the project required flexible working patterns, structured communication, and strong collaboration between multiple delivery partners. 

Cantarus’ team supported early-morning deployments outside of standard hours and contributed to a range of technical improvements, including: 

CMS & Backend:  

  • Umbraco 8 (.NET Framework 4.8 C#)
  • Umbraco 13 (.NET Core 8, C#)
  • Microservices (.NET Core 8, C#) 

Frontend:

  • React.js/Next.js (v12, v14) 

Mobile:

  • Kotlin (Android) 

DevOps & CI/CD:

  • TeamCity 
  • GitHub Actions 

Security Scanning:

  • SonarQube 
  • CodeQL 

Infrastructure & Hosting:

  • Azure: AFD Classic, DNS, VNETs, SQL Server, Redis Cache 
  • Terraform for initial implementation 

Infrastructure improvements included migrating workloads to Linux-based hosting and optimising Azure resource usage. A revised hosting model was introduced to accommodate multiple non-production environments alongside the main production instance. 

Our team also supported the transition from Microsoft App Center to Firebase for mobile app distribution, allowing mobile teams to manage and release builds independently with minimal disruption. 

Working closely with FGS UK, we contributed to the gradual decoupling of the legacy Umbraco 8 solution into a more modular architecture. The React frontend, originally tightly coupled to the CMS, was rebuilt as a standalone Next.js application, with Umbraco reconfigured to operate headlessly.

Although the frontend had been built with single-page application (SPA) technologies, it was still performing full-page reloads during navigation. Routing logic was refined to better align with SPA principles and improve user experience. 

Several large legacy backend components – some exceeding 2,000 lines of code – were analysed and refactored into smaller, standalone services. Feature flag-based configuration was introduced, allowing new functionality to be safely tested ahead of release, and toggled on without the need for full redeployments. 

These deliverables were the result of a seamless collaboration between FGS-UK, Cantarus, and other vendor teams working together to maintain progress and stability throughout a complex delivery phase. 

Results and Impact

  • Stabilised delivery at speed: Rapid onboarding during a critical phase with no disruption to ongoing work. 
  • Faster, safer releases: Deployment times reduced from 2-3 hours to 30 minutes, reducing manual effort and the risk of errors. 
  • Modular architecture established: Reduced technical debt and supported long-term maintainability. 
  • Agile working: Enabled concurrent development and flexible feature releases via robust testing environments. 
  • Round-the-clock support: Delivered 24/7 coverage to support a globally distributed team working across regions. 

Cantarus integrated well into a complex, multi-region delivery environment and provided valuable technical support across several workstreams. Their collaborative approach and ability to adapt quickly helped maintain stability during a particularly challenging phase of the project.

Marco Brugnoli Head of Software Engineering, FGS UK

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