Method and apparatus for facilitating and monitoring monetary transactions and rewards in a gaming environment

• US 20030004871A1
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Rowe, Rick
• Granted Patent: US 8,452,687 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3281 wherein game attributes are transferred between players, e.g. points, weapons, avatars

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for facilitating and monitoring player financial and player tracking/reward transactions, including the tracking of player losses, are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes at least one server and a plurality of gaming machines and/or a game generator for transmitting game information to a remote game play location. The server has a memory containing data files corresponding to players. The data files contain information such as credits or monies in an account which belong to the player and which may be used by the player to play games. The data files also contain player tracking information, such as points awarded to a player based upon their game play and/or information regarding player expenditures or deductions, such as amounts wagered by a player. In one embodiment, a player and a casino may manage the player'"'"'s accounts, such as by placing criteria upon the account(s), tracking a player'"'"'s gain or loss while playing games, awarding awards such as prizes and credits for free game play or redeemable awards.

Claims

1. A method of awarding a player a reward in a gaming environment, said award separate from any award received as a direct result of the outcome of a game, comprising:

generating an account associated with said player;

determining the satisfaction of a criteria entitling the player to an award;

generating game play credit information comprising said award;

associating information with said player'"'"'s account regarding said award;

permitting said player to utilize said game play credit information to play one or more games without additional monetary input.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said criteria comprises said player participating in a promotion.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said criteria comprises the play of one or more games by said player.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said one or more games comprises at least one table game or electronic game.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said credits have no monetary value.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 including the step of permitting said player to access said account to determine the number of available game play credits.

7. A method of awarding a player an award in a gaming environment, said award separate from any award directly resulting from the play of a game comprising:

generating an account associated with said player;

associating information with said account, said information comprising a number of elements, said elements in one or more predetermined numbers entitling said player to an award provided by a third-party provider.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein said elements comprise miles and said third-party provider comprises an airline.

9. The method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said elements comprise minutes and said third-party provider comprises a telecommunication company.

10. The method in accordance with claim 7 including the step of permitting said player to increase the number of said elements upon payment of monetary value.

11. The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein said elements comprise points.

13. The method in accordance with claim 12 wherein the identity of said recipient is unknown.

12. A method of enticing a player to play a game at a casino comprising:

establishing an account;

associating a plurality of credit with the account;

generating a media, said media having information associated therewith which identifies the account;

issuing said media to a recipient; and

permitting said recipient to utilize said media to establish entitlement to play one or more games at said casino for free.