Facilitating play of a gaming device in accordance with a contract

• US 20080039189A1
• Filed: 12/16/2005
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Gelman, Geoffrey, Jorasch, James, Tedesco, Daniel, Walker, Jay, Tedesco, Robert, Tulley, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 8,672,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

According to some embodiments, systems, methods, and/or articles of manufacture are associated with determining an identifier associated with a player of a gaming device, determining information indicative of historical game play of the player, and determining, based at least upon the information indicative of the historical game play of the player and the identifier associated with the player, whether the player qualifies for a benefit pursuant to a gaming contract. Some embodiments are directed to receiving an indication of a gaming contract insurance claim associated with a gaming contract of a player, determining information indicative of a subset of historical game play of the player, and determining whether to provide a benefit to the player pursuant to the gaming contract.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining an identifier associated with a player of a gaming device;

determining information indicative of historical game play of the player; and

determining, based at least upon the information indicative of the historical game play of the player and the identifier associated with the player, whether the player qualifies for a benefit pursuant to a gaming contract.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the benefit, in the case that it is determined that the player qualifies for the benefit, to the player.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the identifier associated with the player comprises:

receiving an indication of a player tracking number associated with the player.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the information indicative of historical game play of the player is based at least in part on the identifier associated with the player.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the determining of the information indicative of historical game play of the player comprises:

querying a database to retrieve the information indicative of historical game play of the player.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the identifier associated with the player comprises:

receiving an indication of a gaming contract identifier associated with the gaming contract of the player.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, based at least in part on the identifier associated with the player, information indicative of the gaming contract associated with the player.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining of the information indicative of the gaming contract associated with the player comprises:

querying a database to retrieve the information indicative of the gaming contract associated with the player.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining of whether the player qualifies for the benefit pursuant to the gaming contract comprises:

comparing the information indicative of historical game play of the player with the information indicative of the gaming contract associated with the player.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the information indicative of the gaming contract associated with the player defines one or more parameters of the gaming contract.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining of whether the player qualifies for the benefit pursuant to the gaming contract comprises:

determining, based on the information indicative of historical game play of the player, that the historical play of the player satisfies the one or more parameters of the gaming contract.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

storing the information indicative of the gaming contract.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the player, a request to sign up for the gaming contract.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the player, payment for the gaming contract.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring play of the player at a gaming device; and

storing, based at least in part on the monitoring, the information indicative of historical game play of the player.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the benefit pursuant to the gaming contract comprises at least one of (i) a variable refund amount that is based on a determined loss amount, and (ii) a pre-determined flat refund amount.

17. A method, comprising:

receiving an indication of a gaming contract insurance claim associated with a gaming contract of a player;

determining information indicative of a subset of historical game play of the player; and

determining whether to provide a benefit to the player pursuant to the gaming contract.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the receiving of the indication of the gaming contract insurance claim associated with the gaming contract of the player comprises:

receiving an indication of at least one of a player tracking identifier associated with the player and a contract identifier associated with the gaming contract.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining of the information indicative of the subset of historical game play of the player comprises:

retrieving from a database, utilizing a player tracking identifier associated with the player, information indicative of a portion of historical game play of the player, wherein the portion of historical game play is determined to be associated with the gaming contract.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the information indicative of the portion of historical game play associated with the gaming contract is determined by accessing a temporal restriction associated with the gaming contract and determining records of historical game play stored in the database that satisfy the temporal restriction.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining of whether to provide the benefit to the player pursuant to the gaming contract comprises:

comparing the information indicative of the subset of historical game play of the player to one or more parameters of the gaming contract.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the benefit pursuant to the gaming contract comprises at least one of (i) a variable refund amount that is based on a determined loss amount, and (ii) a pre-determined flat refund amount.

23. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions operable to cause the processor to;

determine an identifier associated with a player of a gaming device;

determine information indicative of historical game play of the player; and

determine, based at least upon the information indicative of the historical game play of the player and the identifier associated with the player, whether the player qualifies for a benefit pursuant to a gaming contract.