CASHLESS COMPUTERIZED VIDEO GAME SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20080020826A1
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated), Oneida Indian Nation
• Original Assignee: Oneida Indian Nation
• Inventors: Holch, Neils, Riolo, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 8,876,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• 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 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

A cashless wagering game system is described herein. In some embodiments, the wagering game system includes a control network. The control network can include an account server configured to receive player activity information and demographic information over a network, wherein the player activity information includes a financial transaction associated with a player account, and where the demographic information is associated with a player. The control network can also include a player terminal configured to present a wagering game and to report the player activity information to the account server.

Claims

1. A wagering game system comprising:

a control network including,

an account server configured to receive player activity information and demographic information over a network, wherein the player activity information includes a financial transaction associated with a player account, and where the demographic information is associated with a player; and

a player terminal configured to present a wagering game and to report the player activity information to the account server.

2. The wagering game system of claim 1 further including:

a game server configured to transmit random numbers to the player terminal, the random numbers for use in determining a result of the wagering game.

3. The wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the account server is further configured to determine, before presentation of the wagering game, that the player account includes funds sufficient complete the financial transaction.

4. The wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the account server is further configured to determine, before presentation of the wagering game, that the player account includes funds sufficient to pay a wager associated with the wagering game.

5. The wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the account server is further configured to credit the player account after a winning result of the wagering game, and to debit the player account after a loosing result of the wagering game.

6. The wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the player terminal is configured to report the player activity information to the account server in real-time.

7. The wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the player activity information further includes one or more of the group consisting of an account number, information about one or more of the wagering games, wager amounts, and player choices made during the wagering game.

8. The wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the control network further includes:

an account files database configured to record the account transaction; and

a player card information database configured to store the demographic information;

9. The wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the control network further includes:

a report server configured to generate a report based on the player activity information and the demographic information, the report to indicate habits of the player.

10. The wagering game system of claim 9, further comprising:

control applications configured to modify the wagering games based on the report.

11. A machine-readable medium including instructions executable by a machine, the instructions comprising:

instructions to receive player activity information over a network, wherein the player activity information includes a request to credit a financial account, and wherein the player activity information indicates player choices made in association with electronic wagering games;

instructions to determine, based on the player activity information, player preferences; and

instructions to change, based on the player preferences, attributes of the electronic wagering games.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 11 further including:

instructions to generate reports indicating the player preferences.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the player activity information further indicates one or more selected from the set consisting of player account numbers, information about the electronic wagering games, and amounts wagered on the electronic wagering games.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the attributes include wagering game type and wager denomination.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the player activity information is received as a result of real-time transmission over the network.

16. A method comprising:

receiving player activity information over a network, wherein the player activity information indicates financial accounts associated with players and selections made by the players during wagering games;

crediting and debiting balances of the financial accounts based on the selections; and

selecting, based on the player activity information, one or more of the players to receive promotional awards; and

distributing the promotional awards to the players.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the player activity information originates at player terminals, and wherein the method further includes transmitting over the network instructions to modify wagering games available on the player terminals.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein each of the promotional awards is associated with a financial account of the player.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the promotional awards include credits for playing wagering games.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the player activity information also indicates requests to debit and credit the electronic financial accounts.