System and method for gaming terminal with account funding

• US 20080153583A1
• Filed: 12/04/2007
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Original Assignee: Scientific Games International Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Pierce, Brooks H., Huntley, William J., Skelton, Louis F., Safaei, Aman
• Granted Patent: US 8,282,468 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 17/3255 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

A system and method for providing a terminal with account funding is described. In one exemplary aspect of the invention, a system is provided having an interface whereby a player can interact with the gaming system. The interface allows the player to request a transfer of funds from the player'"'"'s bank account to a wagering account. The system prompts the player to provide for reading the player'"'"'s bank card such as by swiping the card. The system receives the player'"'"'s entry of a personal identification code and sends information concerning the player'"'"'s request for a transfer to a bank. The system then reports the bank'"'"'s response to the player'"'"'s request and, if allowed, credits that player'"'"'s wagering account with the requested transfer of funds.

Claims

1. A method for funding players of a gaining system, comprising the steps of:

providing an interface whereby a player can interact with the gaming system;

allowing the player to request a transfer of funds from a bank account to a wagering account;

reading a bank card provided by the player;

receiving the entry of a personal identification code;

sending information regarding the player'"'"'s request for a transfer of funds to a bank; and

reporting to the player the bank'"'"'s response to the player'"'"'s request for a transfer of funds.

2. A method of funding players of a gaining system as in claim 1, wherein the interface is a terminal with an associated keypad.

3. A method of funding players of a gaining system as in claim 1, further comprising the step of indicating to the player the amount of funds in the wagering account.

4. A method of funding players of a gaining system as in claim 1, wherein said step of reading a bank card comprises allowing the player to swipe the bank card using the interface.

5. A method of funding players of a gaining system as in claim 1, wherein said step of sending information regarding the player'"'"'s request for a transfer of funds to a bank further comprises sending the information to a payment processor.

6. A method of funding players of a gaming system as in claim 1, further comprising the step of verifying the player'"'"'s wagering account credentials.

7. A method of funding players of a gaming system as in claim 1, further comprising the step of crediting the wagering account with the amount of the player'"'"'s request for a transfer of funds from the bank account.

8. A method of funding players of a gaming system as in claim 1, further comprising the step of crediting the wagering account with an amount based on the player'"'"'s winnings.

9. A method of funding players of a gaming system as in claim 8, further comprising transferring funds from the wagering account to the bank account.

10. A method of funding players of a gaming system as in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing the player with gaming information using the interface.

11. A method of funding players of a gaming system as in claim 1, wherein the bank card is a debit card, check card, or credit card.

12. A method of funding players of a gaming system as in claim 1, wherein the personal identification code comprises a PIN.

13. A method of funding players of a gaming system as in claim 1, further comprising the step of classifying information provided by the player through the interface.

14. A terminal operated according to the method of claim 1.

15. A computer program product including instructions embodied on a computer readable storage medium, the computer program product acting to allow for funding players of a gaming system, the computer program comprising:

allowing instructions for allowing a player to request a transfer of funds from a bank account to a wagering account;

reading instructions for reading a player'"'"'s bank card;

receiving instructions for receiving the entry of a personal identification code;

sending instructions for sending information regarding the player'"'"'s request for a transfer of funds to a bank; and

reporting instructions for reporting to the player the bank'"'"'s response to the player'"'"'s request for a transfer of funds.

16. A wagering device with account funding, comprising:

a terminal configured for displaying a graphical user interface, the interface comprising prompts by which a player may request a transfer of funds from a bank account to a wagering account;

a host in charge configured for providing gaming services; and

a network connecting said terminal and said host in charge, said network configured for communicating with a bank at which the bank account is provided.

17. A wagering device with account funding as in claim 16, further comprising a bank card reader connected to said terminal.

18. A wagering device with account funding as in claim 16, further comprising a keypad connected to said terminal.

19. A wagering device with account funding as in claim 16, further comprising a payment processor with which said network may communicate.