Interactive wagering systems and methods for restricting wagering access

• US 20010037211A1
• Filed: 04/05/2001
• Published: 11/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ODS Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ODS Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: McNutt, Richard E., Garahi, Masood, Marshall, Connie T., Ramsey, Douglas V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,229,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4542 Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for an interactive wagering application that restricts wagering access. The restrictions may be based on user-defined restrictions on the location of the user equipment or any other suitable criterion. The interactive wagering application may compare blackout information and user equipment location information. When blackout information and location information match, wagering access may be restricted. An interactive wagering system may verify that the user equipment is in a location where wagering is permitted. If verified, the user equipment may be granted a location verification token. The location verification token may indicate to the interactive wagering application that the user may be provided with wagering access. User-defined wagering restrictions may also be used to restrict wagering access.

Claims

1. A method for restricting wagering access on user equipment, using an interactive wagering application comprising:

determining a geographic location of the user equipment;

checking whether wagering is allowed in the geographic location of the user equipment; and

restricting wagering access when wagering is not allowed in the geographic location of the user equipment.

2. The method of

claim 1

, further comprising providing wagering access when wagering is allowed in the geographic location of the user equipment.

3. The method of

claim 1

, wherein determining the geographic location of the user equipment comprise s using a global positioning satellite system.

4. The method of

claim 1

, wherein determining the geographic location of the user equipment comprises using automatic number identification on a telephone network.

5. The method of

claim 1

, wherein checking whether wagering is allowed comprises:

determining in which geographic locations wagering is not allowed; and

comparing the geographic location of the user equipment with the geographic locations in which wagering is not allowed.

6. The method of

claim 1

, wherein checking whether wagering is allowed comprises:

using an interactive wagering system and a location tracing service to analyze automatic number identification information obtained from having the user equipment establish a communications link using a telephone network; and

providing the user equipment with a location verification token, wherein the location verification token is provided by the interactive wagering system, and wherein the location verification token is provided when the user equipment is located at a location where wagering is allowed.

7. The method of

claim 6

, wherein using an interactive wagering system comprises using a component selected from a group consisting of a transaction processing and subscription management system, totalisators, a subscription verification facility, and any combination thereof.

8. The method of

claim 6

, further comprising storing the location verification token at the user equipment.

9. The method of

claim 1

, further comprising:

providing a user with the ability to set user-defined wagering access restrictions; and

restricting wagering access based on the user-defined wagering access restrictions.

10. The method of

claim 1

, wherein restricting wagering access comprises performing a function selected from a group consisting of changing the appearance of wagering options in an interface, removing wagering options from an interface, displaying a message when a wagering option is selected from an interface, suppressing wager-related indicators from appearing on a display, suppressing a wagering event broadcast from being displayed, or any combination thereof.

11. The method of

claim 1

, wherein checking whether wagering is allowed comprises:

receiving blackout information at the user equipment; and

determining whether wagering is allowed based on the geographic location of the user equipment and on the blackout information.

12. A method for verifying that user equipment is located in a geographic location where wagering is allowed, using an interactive wagering application comprising:

using an integrated receiver decoder to receive blackout information;

determining in which geographic location the user equipment is located; and

determining whether the user equipment is located in a geographic location where wagering is allowed based on the blackout information.

13. The method of

claim 12

wherein determining in which geographic location the user equipment is located comprises using an interactive wagering system and a location tracing service to analyze automatic number identification information obtained from having the user equipment establish a communications link using a telephone network.

14. A method for verifying that user equipment is located in a geographic location where wagering is allowed, using an interactive wagering application comprising:

determining in which geographic location the user equipment is located; and

providing the user equipment with a location verification token, wherein the location verification token is provided by an interactive wagering system, and wherein the location verification token is provided when the user equipment is located at a location where wagering is allowed.

15. The method of

claim 14

wherein determining in which geographic location the user equipment is located comprises using the interactive wagering system and a location tracing service to analyze automatic number identification information obtained from having the user equipment establish a communications link using a telephone network.

16. An interactive wagering system having user equipment that restricts wagering access, the interactive wagering system configured to:

determine a geographic location of the user equipment;

check whether wagering is allowed in the geographic location of the user equipment; and

restrict wagering access when wagering is not allowed in the geographic location of the user equipment.

17. The system of

claim 16

further comprising user equipment configured to provide wagering access when wagering is allowed in the geographic location of the user equipment.

18. The system of

claim 16

further comprising a global positioning satellite system to determine the location of the user equipment.

19. The system of

claim 16

further comprising a telephone network having automatic number identification functionality that is used to determine the geographic location of the user equipment.

20. The system of

claim 16

, wherein the interactive wagering system is further configured to:

determine in which geographic locations wagering is not allowed; and

compare the geographic location of the user equipment with the geographic locations in which wagering is not allowed.

21. The system of

claim 16

is further configured to:

use the interactive wagering system and a location tracing service to analyze automatic number identification information obtained from having the user equipment establish a communications link using a telephone network; and

provide the user equipment with a location verification token, wherein the location verification token is provided by the interactive wagering system, and wherein the location verification token is provided when the user equipment is located at a location where wagering is allowed.

22. The system of

claim 21

wherein the interactive wagering system is comprised of a component selected from a group consisting of a transaction processing and subscription management system, totalisators, a subscription verification facility, user equipment, and any combination thereof.

23. The system of

claim 21

wherein the interactive wagering application is further configured to store the location verification token in the user equipment.

24. The system of

claim 16

, wherein the user equipment is configured to:

provide a user with the ability to set user-defined wagering access restrictions; and

restrict wagering access based on the user-defined wagering access restrictions.

25. The system of

claim 16

, wherein the user equipment is configured to perform a function selected from a group consisting of changing the appearance of wagering options in an interface, removing wagering options from an interface, displaying a message when a wagering option is selected from an interface, suppressing wager-related indicators from appearing on a display, suppressing a wagering event broadcast from being displayed, or any combination thereof.

26. The system of

claim 16

, wherein the user equipment is configured to:

receive blackout information; and

determine whether wagering is allowed based on the geographic location of the user equipment and on the blackout information.

31. The system of

claim 16

wherein the user equipment is configured to determine the geographic location of the user equipment.

32. The system of

claim 16

wherein the user equipment is configured to check whether wagering is allowed in the geographic location of the user equipment.

33. The system of

claim 16

, wherein the user equipment is configured to restrict wagering access when wagering is not allowed in the geographic location of the user equipment.

27. An interactive wagering system for verifying that user equipment located in a geographic location where wagering is allowed, the user equipment is configured to:

use an integrated receiver decoder to receive blackout information;

determine in which geographic location the user equipment is located; and

determine whether the user equipment is located in a geographic location where wagering is allowed based on the blackout information.

28. The system of

claim 27

further comprising a location tracing service to analyze automatic number identification information obtained from having the user equipment establish a communications link using a telephone network.

29. An interactive wagering system for verifying that user equipment is located in a geographic location where wagering is allowed, the system configured to:

determine in which geographic location the user equipment is located; and

provide the user equipment with a location verification token, wherein the location verification token is provided by an interactive wagering system, and wherein the location verification token is provided when the user equipment is located at a location where wagering is allowed.

30. The system of

claim 29

further comprising a location tracing service to analyze automatic number identification information obtained from having the user equipment establish a communications link using a telephone network.