Detecting and preventing bots and cheating in online gaming

• US 20080004107A1
• Filed: 07/03/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Wolf, Bryan D., Underdahl, Brian, Nguyen, Binh
• Granted Patent: US 8,360,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/75 Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for detecting and/or preventing cheating in online gaming. Some implementations provide gaming information in formats that are difficult for a bot to interpret, but which are preferably easy for humans to interpret. Some implementations of the invention involve the tracking and analysis of players'"'"' gaming activities. Some implementations of the invention provide a multi-tier approach to data analysis. Some analyses may be performed, for example, by a centralized computing device such as a server, whereas other analyses may be performed by a host device. In some implementations, “challenge and response” measures will be employed. Some implementations of the invention involve detection and prevention of collaboration between players.

Claims

1. A gaming method, comprising:

gathering gaming data on a host device while online gaming software is executing on the host device;

evaluating a first component of the gaming data to detect first indicia of cheating, the first component of the gaming data comprising financial data; and

invoking cheating countermeasures when first indicia of cheating are detected.

2. The gaming method of claim 1, wherein the first indicia of cheating comprise win frequency indicia or win amount indicia.

3. The gaming method of claim 1, wherein the evaluating step is performed by a central computing device.

4. The gaming method of claim 1, wherein the cheating countermeasures comprise evaluating a second component of the gaming data for second indicia of cheating.

5. The gaming method of claim 1, wherein the cheating countermeasures comprise causing a central device to query a selected host device for second indicia of cheating.

6. The gaming method of claim 4, wherein the second indicia of cheating indicate the use of a bot to control, at least in part, game play decisions.

7. The gaming method of claim 4, wherein the second indicia of cheating comprise at least one of play consistency indicia, reaction time indicia or optimal play indicia.

36. The gaming network of claim 4, wherein the second indicia of cheating comprise at least one of play consistency indicia, reaction time indicia or optimal play indicia.

8. A gaming method, comprising:

gathering gaming data on a first plurality of host devices while online gaming software is executing on the plurality of host devices;

evaluating a first component of the gaming data on a central computing device to detect first indicia of cheating, the first component of the gaming data comprising financial data;

analyzing a second component of the gaming data gathered by at least one of the first plurality of host devices to detect second indicia of cheating; and

invoking cheating countermeasures when first indicia of cheating or second indicia of cheating are detected.

9. The gaming method of claim 8, wherein the analyzing step is performed by a host device in response to a signal from the central computing device to the host device, the signal being sent by the central computing device in response to detecting first indicia of cheating.

10. The gaming method of claim 8, wherein the second indicia of cheating comprise at least one of play consistency indicia, reaction time indicia, collusion indicia or optimal play indicia.

11. The gaming method of claim 8, further comprising the step of transmitting a signal from the central computing device to a second plurality of host devices in response to detecting first indicia of cheating, wherein the analyzing step comprises evaluating collusion indicia and is performed, at least in part, by the central computing device based on information received from the second plurality of host devices.

12. The gaming method of claim 8, wherein a bot is detected according to at least one of the first indicia of cheating or the second indicia of cheating and wherein the cheating countermeasures comprise preventing the bot from participating in games involving human participants.

13. The gaming method of claim 11, wherein the analyzing step is performed, at least in part, by the second plurality of host devices.

14. The gaming method of claim 13, wherein the analyzing step comprises determining lapse times during which a player game play is worse than the player'"'"'s normal level of game play.

15. The gaming method of claim 13, wherein the information received from the second plurality of host devices comprises results of an analysis performed by the second plurality of host devices.

16. The gaming method of claim 14, wherein the analyzing step further comprises determining whether one or more other players consistently win during a player'"'"'s lapse times.

40. The gaming network of claim 8, wherein the second indicia of cheating comprise at least one of play consistency indicia, reaction time indicia, collusion indicia or optimal play indicia.

17. A gaming method, comprising:

providing an online wagering game involving a plurality of host devices and at least one game server; and

presenting game data required for participation in the online wagering game in a format that requires a human interface or the use of pattern recognition methods.

18. The gaming method of claim 17, wherein the game data comprise playing card data and wherein the format comprises varying an angle of rotation for a playing card.

19. The gaming method of claim 17, wherein the game data comprise playing card data and wherein the format comprises varying positions of playing card symbols on the playing cards.

20. The gaming method of claim 17, wherein the game data comprises playing card data and wherein the format comprises a variable display of playing card hands.

21. The gaming method of claim 17, wherein the game data comprise playing card data and wherein the format comprises playing card images displayed as playing card backs, wherein playing card symbols are temporarily shown only at turned up corners of the playing card images.

22. The gaming method of claim 17, wherein the format comprises an entire screen of game play information, including player input areas, displayed as one image.

23. The gaming method of claim 17, wherein some game data required for participation in the online wagering game are provided in the format of voice commands.

24. The gaming method of claim 17, wherein wagering data for participation in the online wagering game are provided as images of wager tokens.

25. The gaming method of claim 20, wherein the variable display comprises providing playing card hands as a single image of fanned-out playing cards.

26. The gaming method of claim 22, wherein the player input areas comprise buttons and wherein the format comprises displaying the buttons in different areas of the image at different times.

27. The gaming method of claim 23, wherein the voice commands are provided by voices having a variety of regional accents.

28. The gaming method of claim 24, wherein the images of wager tokens comprise images of poker chips.

29. A gaming method, comprising:

gathering game play data while players are using a plurality of host devices to play Internet wagering games;

analyzing the game play data to determine individual players'"'"' typical gaming styles and times of deviation from the typical gaming styles; and

comparing times of deviation from players'"'"' typical gaming styles to determine instances of probable collusion between players.

30. The gaming method of claim 29, further comprising:

determining locations of at least some of the plurality of host devices; and

determining whether at least some of the instances of probable collusion involve multiple host devices at one location.

31. A gaming network, comprising:

means for providing online games of chance;

means for gathering gaming data on a host device while online gaming software is executing on the host device;

means for evaluating a first component of the gaming data to detect first indicia of cheating, the first component of the gaming data comprising financial data; and

means for invoking cheating countermeasures when first indicia of cheating are detected.

32. The gaming network of claim 31, wherein the first indicia of cheating comprise win frequency indicia or win amount indicia.

33. The gaming network of claim 31, wherein the evaluating means comprises a central computing device.

34. The gaming network of claim 31, wherein the cheating countermeasures comprise evaluating a second component of the gaming data for second indicia of cheating.

35. The gaming network of claim 31, wherein the cheating countermeasures comprise causing a central device to query another device for second indicia of cheating.

37. The gaming network of claim 35, wherein another device comprises a selected host device or a storage device.

38. A gaming network, comprising:

means for gathering gaming data on a first plurality of host devices while online gaming software is executing on the plurality of host devices;

means for evaluating a first component of the gaming data on a central computing device to detect first indicia of cheating, the first component of the gaming data comprising financial data;

means for analyzing a second component of the gaming data gathered by at least one of the first plurality of host devices to detect second indicia of cheating; and

means for invoking cheating countermeasures when first indicia of cheating or second indicia of cheating are detected.

39. The gaming network of claim 38, wherein the analyzing step comprises a host device acting in response to a signal from the central computing device, the signal being sent by the central computing device in response to detecting first indicia of cheating.

41. Software stored in a computer-readable medium, the software including instructions for controlling one or more devices in a network to perform the following steps:

gathering gaming data on a host device while online gaming software is executing on the host device;

evaluating a first component of the gaming data to detect first indicia of cheating, the first component of the gaming data comprising financial data; and

invoking cheating countermeasures when first indicia of cheating are detected.

42. The software of claim 41, wherein the first indicia of cheating comprise win frequency indicia or win amount indicia.

43. The software of claim 41, wherein the evaluating step is performed by a central computing device.

44. The software of claim 41, wherein the cheating countermeasures comprise evaluating a second component of the gaming data for second indicia of cheating.

45. The software of claim 41, wherein the cheating countermeasures comprise causing a central device to query a selected host device for second indicia of cheating.