System for distributing entertaining episodes and crediting payouts to authorized remote-player's wagers

• US 20090062008A1
• Filed: 08/02/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jayant S. Karmarkar
• Original Assignee: Jayant S. Karmarkar
• Inventors: Karmarkar, Jayant S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,123,618 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication

Abstract

A system for distributing entertaining multimedia episodes and crediting payouts to authorized remote-player'"'"'s wagers, off-site or on-site regulated premises, comprising a system for randomly selecting episodes, with randomly generated episodes outcomes appended thereto. The selected episodes could be from a database or from ongoing live games. The database could be pre-processed audio-video, from authorized content producers depicting a hired cast of entertainers, playing a selected variety of games of chance and skill. The system includes authorized server based episode and outcome distribution to secure remote-player stations, including an intra-episode biometric (e.g., face) authentication system, and an accounting systems, for rewarding authorized remote-players with products, services, cash and playing credit payouts.

Claims

1-123. -123. (canceled)

124. A system for distributing entertaining episodes and credit payout to authenticated remote-player'"'"'s wagers, the system comprising:

a secure audio-video storage buffer (810) which stores one or more entertaining (710) episode signals (750);

a processor for pre-processing (730) said entertaining (710) episode signals (750);

an episode random outcome generation system including an array vector (338) for synthetically generating random (830) outcomes (470) for said one or more post-processed (760) entertaining (710) episode (750) signals;

an episode content distributor (800) system including an inter-networked (328) communication hub (840) with a switching system (34) for distributing the post-processed (760) entertaining (710) episode (750) signals to one or more (180) remote-player stations (900) on bi-directional communication pathways (214);

wherein said switching system (34) randomly selects one or more said entertaining gaming episode signals for distribution to one or more (180) remote-player stations (900) after appending the random (830) outcomes (470) to said post-processed (760) entertaining (710) episodes (750);

wherein each of the remote-player station (900) includes a multimedia audio (104)-video (102) presentation display, credit (252) wagering (106)-payout (108) equipment (400), a processor (100) enabling a remote-player (112) to place a wager (520) on one or more episodes, to enable a remote-player to receive a credit (252) payout (480) for winning outcomes of one or more episodes presented on the remote-player station displays;

a credit payout system wherein said payout including cash (525), products (482), playing time, player points, prizes, bonus jackpots, and services (484) offered (606) by the episode content distributor (800) is selected by the remote-player (112) by e-commerce (920) based roaming (460) on said remote-player station (900);

a communication system wherein said remote-player station (900) includes bi-directional communication pathways (214) for communicating remote-player authentication, wagering (258) and credit (252) payout (480) selection to the inter-networked (328) communication hub (840) of the episode content distributor (800);

an authentication system wherein each of one or more (180) said remote-player stations (900) includes one or more face imaging (268) and other biometric (374) sensors co-located with each of said one or more remote-player stations;

a regulatory compliance system wherein biometric (374) and motion sensors monitor a corresponding remote-player privileged zone (316) and repeatedly communicate remote-player authentication (651) related data (650) to a regulatory surveillance and management center (960) using a secure inter-networked (328) system of bi-directional communication pathways (214); and

a regulatory compliance system wherein said remote-player authentication (651) related data (650) is used to periodically (652) authorize said one or more remote-players (112).

125. A system for entertaining episode distribution comprising:

an array of remote-player stations for virtually presenting entertaining multimedia episodes to one or more remote-players by randomly selecting entertaining multimedia episode signals with independently processed randomly generated synthetic multimedia episode outcome signals appended thereto;

a multimedia quality control system wherein said multimedia episode signals comply with movie/TV entertainment industry presentation quality standards defined by Society-of-Motion-Picture-and-Television-Engineers (SMPTE);

a remote-player authentication system for repeatedly acquiring remote-player authentication related data acquired by one or more biometric authentication sensors co-located with each of said one or more multimedia stations;

a remote-player authentication system wherein authentication of each said remote-player is performed multiple times during each said episode presentation;

a bi-directional communication system for repeatedly transferring said authentication related data to an authorized server of said episodes to enable a regulated episode provider to periodically approve episode based remote-player participation and accounting related data transactions;

a credit wagering-payout system for periodically providing corresponding remote-player participation input based multimedia outcome signals and remote-player accounting related data updates to said remote-players at said stations;

an authorized server system wherein each said randomly selected entertaining multimedia episode has independently processed randomly generated synthetic multimedia episode outcome signals appended thereto immediately upon receipt of said remote-player participation input; and

an authorized server system wherein said episode outcome signals are synthetically generated using an independent episode related random number generation array based synthetic outcome multimedia generation array processor.

126. The episode distribution system of claim 125, additionally comprising:

a multimedia storage system wherein one or more said entertaining multimedia episode signals are stored in one or more multimedia audio-video storage buffers;

wherein said multimedia audio-video storage buffers are sized to store said multimedia episode signals complying with movie/TV entertainment industry quality standards defined by Society-of-Motion-Picture-and-Television-Engineers (SMPTE);

an authorized server system wherein said entertaining multimedia episode signals are randomly selected for retrieval from said multimedia storage buffers immediately upon receipt of the remote-player'"'"'s participation input;

a processing system wherein episode outcome signals are independently processed and randomly generated upon said receipt of the remote-player'"'"'s participation input and appended to said randomly selected entertaining multimedia episode signals;

a bi-directional communication system wherein one or more entertaining multimedia episodes are transferred for virtual presentation to corresponding one or more remote-players playing on corresponding one or more multimedia stations; and

wherein order of said episode random selection and said episode transfer is interchangeable.

127. The episode distribution system of claim 125, additionally comprising:

an entertaining episode production system wherein one or more said entertaining multimedia episode signals are produced by a cast of one or more entertaining players virtually depicted in said entertaining multimedia episode signals; and

an entertaining episode production system wherein the cast of entertaining players have given prior authorization to a regulated provider of said episodes giving said provider each participating entertaining player'"'"'s waiver of legal rights to privacy confidentiality and copyright with respect to participating in producing said entertaining multimedia episode signals.

128. A secure episode distribution system comprising:

an array of secure multimedia stations for periodically securely virtually presenting to one or more remote-players at corresponding one or more secure multimedia stations one or more securely randomly selected securely produced entertaining multimedia episode signals with independently processed randomly generated synthetic multimedia episode outcome signals appended thereto;

a remote-player authentication system for repeatedly securely acquiring remote-player authentication related data acquired by one or more biometric authentication sensors co-located with each of said one or more multimedia stations;

a remote-player authentication system wherein said authentication is performed multiple times during said episode presentation;

a bidirectional communication system for repeatedly securely transferring said authentication related data to regulated episode provider of said episodes to enable said provider to periodically authorize episode based remote-player accounting and participation related data transactions;

a credit wagering-payout system periodically securely providing corresponding remote-player participation input based multimedia outcome signals and remote-player accounting related data updates to said remote-players at said stations;

an episode provider privilege authorization system wherein authorized server system wherein each securely produced said randomly selected multimedia episode has independently processed randomly generated synthetic multimedia episode outcome signals appended thereto immediately upon receipt of said remote-player participation input;

an episode provider system wherein said randomly generated synthetic multimedia episode outcome signals are generated using an independent episode related secure random number generation array based synthetic outcome multimedia generation array; and

wherein said multimedia episode signals comply with movie/TV entertainment industry presentation quality standards defined by Society-of-Motion-Picture-and-Television-Engineers (SMPTE).

129. The episode distribution system of claim 128 additionally comprising:

a remote-player authentication system for securely transferring the remote-player'"'"'s biometric authentication related and accounting related data from said multimedia stations to a regulatory surveillance and management center for periodic authorization of corresponding one or more remote-players;

a remote-player privilege authorization system wherein each remote-player has given prior authorization to said provider of said episodes giving said regulated episode provider each remote-player'"'"'s waiver of legal rights to privacy, confidentiality and security;

a physically secure remote-player multimedia station wherein said multimedia station is physically secure complying with banking industry standards pertaining to physical security of Automated-Transaction-Machines (ATMs);

a remote-player privilege authorization system wherein said regulated provider authorization periodicity to said remote-players is substantially equal to the multimedia episode virtual presentation periodicity to said remote-players at said multimedia station;

a credit wagering-payout system wherein said participation input includes wagering from an authorized account; and

a remote-player privilege authorization system wherein both said episode provider'"'"'s personnel and said remote-players are subject both to initial regulation and to ongoing periodic regulation by cognizant regulatory entities to ensure compliance.

130. The episode distribution system of claim 128,

an episode provider privilege authorization system wherein the regulation and authorization of episode providers and episode participants in said episodes includes licensing of one or more entities selected from a group consisting of:

game tournament facility operators, game equipment manufacturers, game service providers, Internet based game service providers, gaming route operators, restricted gaming operators, unrestricted gaming operators, arcade game facility operators, Native American gaming providers, wireless game providers, entertaining game players and remote game players.

131. The episode distribution system of claim 128, additionally comprising:

a remote-player privilege authorization system wherein authorization of remote-player'"'"'s participation related accounting data updates from said wagering-payout system is provided by a regulated episode provider, to ensure initial and ongoing regulatory compliance;

a remote-player authentication system wherein one or more said biometric authentication sensors are image based;

a remote-player authentication system wherein image sensor based biometric authentication image of said remote-player is included in the multimedia episode virtual presentation to said remote-player to ensure compliance with the remote-player'"'"'s prior authorization to regulated provider of said episodes giving said provider each remote-player'"'"'s waiver of legal rights to privacy, confidentiality and security; and

a remote-player authentication system wherein image sensor based biometric authentication surveillance enables compliance with the initial authorization and ongoing periodic regulation of said remote-players and said provider'"'"'s personnel.

132. The episode distribution system of claim 128 additionally comprising:

a distribution system for distributing the multimedia episode signals from regulated game events; and

a processing system wherein said game events are processed to generate stored multimedia-gaming-episode signals depicting games being played by hired-for-consideration game players.

133. The episode distribution system of claim 132 additionally comprising:

a bi-directional communication system for distributing processed multimedia-gaming-episode signals of ongoing games presented at the multimedia-station;

a storage system wherein said ongoing gaming episodes are securely stored in one or more multimedia storage buffers and securely presented in a cognizant gaming-jurisdiction-authorized sequence; and

a storage system wherein said storage buffers are sized to store said multimedia episode signals complying with movie/TV entertainment industry quality standards defined by Society-of-Motion-Picture-and-Television-Engineers (SMPTE).

134. The episode distribution system of claim 130, additionally comprising:

a credit wagering-payout system wherein paytable jackpots at one or more said multimedia stations are determined by the gaming provider on the basis of player tracking types of games, duration of games, and concurrency of games being played by said remote-player on said multimedia station, during one or more predefined periodic time intervals;

wherein said jackpot is a combination of cash and non-cash compensation; and

wherein said combination is selected by each said remote-player by roaming on said multimedia stations for advertised product-service offers from said provider.

135. The episode distribution system of claim 130, additionally comprising:

a credit wagering-payout system wherein said wagering by the remote-player is accomplished by placing wagers on one or more hired virtual-players playing to win said multimedia episode by matching outcome of said episode; and

a credit wagering-payout system wherein said wager is debited from said remote-player'"'"'s pre-approved account to update said account, prior to virtual presentation of said randomly selected multimedia gaming episode together with an independently processed synthetically generated random episode outcome to said remote-player.

136. The episode distribution system of claim 135 additionally comprising:

an episode production system to enable a regulated episode provider to improve return-on-investment (ROI) by increasing the utilization of hired casino personnel, to facilitate the generation, processing, branding, presentation of the gaming episodes and surveillance of participating remote-players;

an episode processing system wherein said generation, processing, branding and presentation of the gaming episodes complies with movie/TV entertainment industry presentation quality standards defined by Society-of-Motion-Picture-and-Television-Engineers (SMPTE); and

a remote-player privilege authorization system wherein surveillance of remote-players playing on multimedia stations located at regulated remote locations is performed by said regulated provider in accord with cognizant gaming jurisdiction authority'"'"'s provider licensing standards including periodic authentication of said remote-players.

137. The episode distribution system of claim 133, additionally comprising:

an episode provider privilege authorization system wherein games being played by hired-for-consideration players are selected from a group consisting of participants playing;

Poker tournament, Card game tournament, Casino gaming, Professional sport tournament, Celebrity game tournament, Non-house stake gaming, Multi-player Parimutuel gaming, Unrestricted gaming tournaments, Unrestricted game tournament, Games-of-skill contests and Games-of-chance contests.

138. The episode distribution system of claim 135 additionally comprising:

an entertaining episode production system wherein hiring a cast of one or more virtual-players selected from a group consisting of casino game dealers, shills, casino game players, gaming industry personnel, gamblers, celebrities, entertainers, comedians, magicians, artists, actors, politicians, engineers, scientists, physicians, lawyers, educators, outdoor sports players, indoor sports players, game-of-skill players, game-of-chance players; and

appealing hired entertaining players; and

an episode appeal assessment system wherein regulated field-trials enable assessment of appeal of each cast of hired virtual-players playing said games in terms of return-on-investment (ROI) from each set of participating remote-players during said field trials.

139. The episode distribution system of claim 130, additionally comprising:

an episode production system wherein said virtual-players are hired to produce multimedia-gaming-episodes;

an episode production system wherein said hiring process includes each of the hired virtual-player'"'"'s presentation of said virtual-player'"'"'s face and other identifying features in compliance with said virtual-player'"'"'s prior authorization to provider of said episodes giving said provider each virtual-player'"'"'s waiver of legal rights to privacy, confidentiality and copyright; and

wherein the production of said multimedia-gaming-episodes complies with movie/TV entertainment industry presentation quality standards defined by Society-of-Motion-Picture-and-Television-Engineers (SMPTE).

140. The episode distribution system of claim 138 additionally comprising:

an episode production system wherein multimedia audio-video episodes are produced with one or more entertaining cast of one or more hired virtual-players playing in audio-visually recorded multimedia-gaming-episodes;

an episode processing system wherein the multimedia episode production processes comply with movie/TV entertainment industry presentation quality standards defined by Society-of-Motion-Picture-and-Television-Engineers (SMPTE); and

an episode provider authorization system wherein one or more regulated field-trials enable assessment of appeal of said cast of one or more hired virtual-players playing said games in terms of return-on-investment (ROI) from each set of one or more participating remote-players during said field-trials.

141. The episode distribution system of claim 140 additionally comprising:

an episode provider privilege authorization system wherein the entertaining multimedia episode content-generation process is located in a gaming-jurisdiction-authorized jurisdictionally-delineated-zone that is selected from a group consisting of;

casino facility, entertainment video production facility, video game production facility, professional sports facility, professional game facility, Native American gaming facility and gaming tournament facility.

142. The episode distribution system of claim 138, additionally comprising:

an episode production system wherein a selected cast of virtual-players are cast and directed by a movie/TV entertainment industry director to play in a particular set of multimedia-gaming-episodes under production;

a processing system wherein multimedia episode production processes comply with movie/TV entertainment industry presentation quality standards defined by Society-of-Motion-Picture-and-Television-Engineers (SMPTE); and

an episode appeal assessment system wherein gaming-jurisdiction-authorized field-trials enable assessment of appeal of said virtual-players playing said games under direction of said director in terms of return-on-investment (ROI) from each set of participating remote-players during said field-trials.

143. The episode distribution system of claim 138, additionally comprising:

an episode appeal assessment system wherein the gaming-jurisdiction-authorized hired virtual-players have an entertainment value, based on return-on-investment (ROI) of games in which said hired virtual-players are hired to participate in episode production;

a episode appeal assessment system wherein said return-on-investment (ROI) is used to assess said gaming-business multimedia-gaming-episode virtual-player casting decisions;

wherein multimedia episode production processes comply with movie/TV entertainment industry presentation quality standards defined by Society-of-Motion-Picture-and-Television-Engineers (SMPTE); and

an episode appeal assessment system wherein gaming-jurisdiction-authorized field-trials enable assessment of appeal of said hired virtual-players playing said games in terms of return-on-investment (ROI) from each set of participating remote-players during said field-trials.

144. The episode distribution system of claim 138, additionally comprising:

an episode appeal assessment system wherein a cast of virtual-players is hired by a movie/TV entertainment industry producer to produce a cast based set of entertaining multimedia-gaming-episodes incorporating one or more games selected from a group consisting of;

games-of-skill, and games-of-chance;

a processor wherein the episode production processes comply with movie/TV entertainment industry presentation quality standards defined by Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE); and

an episode appeal assessment system wherein gaming-jurisdiction-authorized field-trials enable assessment of appeal of said cast of one or more virtual-players hired by said producer playing one or more said games in terms of return-on-investment (ROI) from each set of participating remote-players during said field-trials.

145. The episode distribution system of claim 144 additionally comprising:

a server system providing one or more of the multimedia-gaming-episode signals that depicts one or more games which are primarily games-of-skill.

146. The episode distribution system of claim 145, additionally comprising:

a game selection system wherein one or more said games-of-skill are selected from a group consisting of;

games involving primarily games-of-strategy-skill and games involving primarily games-of-sports-skill.

147. The episode distribution system of claim 146, additionally comprising:

a game selection system wherein one or more said games-of-strategy-skill are selected from a group consisting of;

chess game, checkers game, backgammon game, scrabble game, monopoly game, Riven game, Myst game, Pong game, Pac-Man game, Doom game, and related appealing games-of-strategy-skill; and

an episode appeal assessment system wherein gaming-jurisdiction-authorized field-trials enable assessment of appeal of one or more said games being played by one or more sets of said cast of hired virtual-players in terms of return-on-investment (ROI) from each of one or more sets of participating remote-players during said field-trials.

148. The episode distribution system of claim 146, additionally comprising:

a game selection system wherein one or more said games-of-sports-skill selected from a group consisting of;

football game, basketball game, soccer game, rugby game, golf game, baseball game, professional sports tournament games, arcade games, and related appealing games-of-sports-skill; and

an episode appeal system wherein gaming-jurisdiction-authorized field-trials are used to assess appeal of said games being played by said hired virtual-players in terms of return-on-investment (ROI) from each set of participating remote-players during said field-trials.

149. The episode distribution system of claim 144, additionally comprising:

an episode provider game selection system wherein the games-of-chance include Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) class II casino games and class III casino games, and related appealing games-of-chance which appeal to remote-players; and

an episode appeal assessment system wherein gaming-jurisdiction-authorized field-trials enable assessment of appeal of said games being played by said virtual-players hired by said producer in terms of return-on-investment (ROI) from each set of participating remote-players during said field-trials.

150. The episode distribution system of claim 135, additionally comprising:

an episode storage system wherein said one or more gaming episodes are based on games-of-chance and games-of-skill selected from a group consisting of;

Faro game, Monte game, Keno game, Bingo game, Fan-Tan game, Twenty-One game, Multi-action 21 game, Roulette game, Blackjack game, Seven-and-a-Half game, Big Injun game, Klondike game, Craps game, Poker game, Chuck-a-Luck game, Chinese Chuck-a-luck (Dai-Shu) game, Wheel-of-Fortune game, Chemin-de-Fir game, Baccarat game, Pai-Gow game, Beat-the-Banker game, Panguingui game, mini-baccarat game, Caribbean stud game, 7 card stud poker game, Texas hold'"'"'em poker game, Let-it-ride game, Video-Slot Machines based games, Video-Poker Machine based games, Dice-Match game, Ball-Match game, Card-Match game, Slot-Match game, Chess game, Checkers game, Backgammon game, Monopoly game, Scrabbled game, Pinochle game, Harts game, Spades game, Doom game, Riven game, Pong game, Pac-Man game, Myst game, Golf game, Baseball game, Football game, Basketball game, Soccer game, Rugby game, Arcade Games, Horse-Racing game, Non-House-Stake Games, Multi-player Parimutuel games between a plurality of players, related appealing games-of-chance, and related appealing games-of-skill; and

an episode assessment system wherein gaming-jurisdiction-authorized field-trials enable assessment of appeal of each set of one or more said games being played by each set of one or more said hired virtual-players in terms of return-on-investment (ROI) from each set of participating remote-players playing said games during said field-trials.

151. An episode data distribution system comprising:

a remote gaming station for periodically virtually presenting to one or more remote-players at corresponding one or more multimedia game stations randomly selected entertaining multimedia episode signals with randomly generated multimedia episode outcome signals appended thereto;

a credit wagering-payout system periodically providing corresponding remote-player participation input based multimedia episode outcome signals and remote-player accounting related data updates to said remote-players at said multimedia game stations;

an authentication system wherein said authentication is performed multiple times during said episode presentation;

a server system wherein each said randomly selected entertaining multimedia episode has independently processed randomly generated synthetic multimedia episode outcome signals appended thereto immediately upon receipt of said participation input; and

a server system wherein said multimedia episodes outcome signals are synthetically generated using an independent episode related random number generation array based synthetic outcome multimedia generation array.

152. The episode distribution system of claim 151, additionally comprising:

a storage system wherein one or more said entertaining multimedia episode signals are stored in one or more multimedia storage buffers;

a storage system wherein the storage buffers are sized to store said multimedia episode signals in compliance with movie/TV entertainment industry presentation quality standards defined by Society-of-Motion-Picture-and-Television-Engineers (SMPTE);

a bi-directional communication system wherein one or more selected said multimedia episode signals are transferred for virtual presentation to corresponding one or more remote-players playing on corresponding one or more multimedia game stations;

a server system wherein said multimedia episode signals are selected by random retrieval from said multimedia storage buffers immediately upon receipt of the remote player'"'"'s participation input; and

wherein order of said selection and said transfer is interchangeable.

153. The episode distribution system of claim 151, additionally comprising:

an episode production system wherein one or more said entertaining multimedia episode signals are produced by a participating cast of one or more entertaining players virtually presented in said entertaining multimedia episode signals;

an episode provider authorization system wherein said cast of one or more entertaining players have given prior authorization to provider of said episodes giving said provider each entertaining player'"'"'s waiver of legal rights to privacy confidentiality and copyright with respect to said entertaining multimedia episode signals; and

wherein said multimedia episode signals are produced in compliance with movie/TV entertainment industry presentation quality standards defined by Society-of-Motion-Picture-and-Television-Engineers (SMPTE).

154. A secure episode data distribution system comprising:

a remote gaming station to periodically securely virtually presenting to one or more remote-players at corresponding one or more multimedia gaming stations one or more securely randomly selected securely produced entertaining multimedia episode signals with independent randomly generated synthetic multimedia episode outcome signals appended thereto;

a credit wagering-payout system to periodically securely providing corresponding remote-player participation input based multimedia outcome signals and remote-player accounting related data updates to said remote-players at said multimedia gaming stations;

a server system wherein said multimedia episode signals comply with movie/TV entertainment industry presentation quality standards defined by Society-of-Motion-Picture-and-Television-Engineers (SMPTE);

a server system wherein each securely produced randomly selected multimedia episode has independently randomly generated synthetic multimedia episode outcome signals appended thereto immediately upon receipt of said remote-player participation input; and

a server system wherein said multimedia episode outcomes are generated using an episode related secure random number generation array based synthetic multimedia generation array.

155. The episode distribution system of claim 154 additionally comprising:

a bi-directional communication system for repeatedly securely transferring each remote-player'"'"'s legally pre-authorized authentication related data and accounting related data from biometric authentication sensors co-located at corresponding said multimedia gaming stations to a gaming regulation management surveillance center operated by licensed episode provider'"'"'s personnel for periodic authorization to corresponding one or more said remote-players;

a regulatory compliance system wherein both said episode provider'"'"'s personnel and said remote-players are subject both to initial authorization and to ongoing periodic regulation by a cognizant regulatory authority authorizing said biometric authentication;

wherein said surveillance center utilizes multimedia surveillance stations with co-located biometric sensors to accomplish said ongoing periodic gaming regulation;

an authentication system wherein one or more of said biometric authentication sensors are image sensors; and

a regulatory compliance system wherein remote-player related data legally pre-authorized by each said remote-player is acquired and processed in accord with legal authorization related privacy, confidentiality and security considerations.

156. The episode distribution system of claim 155, additionally comprising:

a remote gaming station wherein said multimedia gaming and surveillance stations are physically secure in compliance with banking industry standards pertaining to physical security of Automated-Transaction-Machines (ATMs); and

a regulatory compliance system wherein said multimedia gaming and surveillance stations are functionally secure in compliance with gaming industry standards defined by a cognizant regulatory authority.

157. The episode distribution system of claim 155, additionally comprising;

an authentication system wherein one or more image sensor based biometric authentication images of said remote-player is included in the multimedia episode virtual presentation to said remote-player at said multimedia-gaming-station to enable said remote-player'"'"'s privacy and confidentiality to be maintained during the authentication process by episode provider'"'"'s personnel to comply with said remote-player'"'"'s prior authorization given to said episode provider thereby giving said episode provider a waiver of legal rights by said remote player; and

a remote-player authentication system wherein one or more image sensor based biometric authentication images of said provider'"'"'s personnel are included in a surveillance presentation at said multimedia surveillance stations to assure authentication periodicity compliance of said ongoing periodic authorization with regulatory constraints.

158. The distribution method of claim 157, additionally comprising:

a remote-player authentication system wherein two image sensors are used to acquire a stereo pair of face images for remote-player biometric authentication in support of surveillance presentation to said episode provider'"'"'s personnel and virtual presentation to said remote-player.

159. The episode distribution system of claim 154, additionally comprising:

a wagering-payout system wherein each remote player'"'"'s said participation input includes said remote-player wagering from a licensed provider approved account;

a credit wagering-payout system wherein said wagering by remote-player is comprises of placing wagers on one or more virtual-players playing said multimedia gaming episode; and

a credit wagering-payout system wherein said wager is debited from said remote-player'"'"'s pre-approved account to update said account, prior to virtual presentation of said randomly selected multimedia gaming episode together with a random synthetically generated episode outcome to said remote-player.

160. The episode distribution system of claim 159, additionally comprising:

a credit wagering-payout system wherein said wagering by said remote-player includes placing a wager on said remote-player personally participating in playing randomly selected virtually presented said multimedia-gaming-episodes being played by hired entertaining players with independently generated random synthetic episode outcomes appended thereto.

161. The episode distribution system of claim 154 additionally comprising:

an entertaining episode production system wherein a cast of virtual-players are hired by an entertainment production industry producer to produce a cast based set of entertaining multimedia-gaming-episodes incorporating one or more games selected from a group consisting of;

games-of-skill, and games-of-chance; and

wherein the episode production system complies with movie/TV entertainment industry presentation quality standards defined by Society-of-Motion-Picture-and-Television-Engineers (SMPTE).

162. The episode distribution system of claim 161 additionally comprising:

an entertaining episode production system wherein casts of one or more virtual-players for said production are hired by selection from a group consisting of casino game dealers, shills, casino game players, gaming industry personnel, gamblers, celebrities, entertainers, comedians, magicians, artists, actors, politicians, engineers, scientists, physicians, lawyers, educators, outdoor sports players, indoor sports players, game-of-skill players, game-of-chance players, and appealing individuals; and

an episode appeal evaluation system wherein said field-trials enable assessment of appeal of each of one or more casts of hired virtual-players playing said games in terms of return-on-investment (ROI) from each of one or more sets of participating remote-players during said field-trials.

163. The episode distribution system of claim 161, additionally comprising:

an episode storage system including one or more episodes based on games-of-chance and games-of-skill selected from a group consisting of;

Faro game, Monte game, Keno game, Bingo game, Fan-Tan game, Twenty-One game, Multi-action 21 game, Roulette game, Blackjack game, Seven-and-a-Half game, Big Injun game, Klondike game, Craps game, Poker game, Chuck-a-Luck game, Chinese Chuck-a-luck (Dai-Shu) game, Wheel-of-Fortune game, Chemin-de-Fir game, Baccarat game, Pai-Gow game, Beat-the-Banker game, Panguingui game, mini-baccarat game, Caribbean stud game, 7 card stud poker game, Texas hold'"'"'em poker game, Let-it-ride game, Video-Slot Machines based games, Video-Poker Machine based games, Dice-Match game, Ball-Match game, Card-Match game, Slot-Match game, Chess game, Checkers game, Backgammon game, Monopoly game, Scrabble game, Pinochle game, Harts game, Spades game, Doom game, Riven game, Pong game, Pac-Man game, Myst game, Golf game, Baseball game, Football game, Basketball game, Soccer game, Rugby game, Arcade Games, Horse-Racing game, Non-House-Stake Games, Multi-player Parimutuel games, related appealing games-of-chance, and related appealing games-of-skill;

an episode appeal evaluation system wherein field-trials enable assessment of appeal of one or more said games in terms of return-on-investment (ROI) from each of one or more sets of participating remote-players during said field trials;

a credit wagering-payout system wherein said remote-players are wagering on virtually presented games-of-chance and games-of-skill selected by said remote-players; and

an episode production system wherein the virtual presentation of episodes depicts a cast of entertaining players hired by an episode producer.

164. A system for distributing live episodes and crediting payouts to authenticated remote-player'"'"'s wagers, the system comprising:

a live content production system (700) that feeds an array of remote-player stations (900) via a content distribution system (800) including a hub/network (840) bypassing the random (830) synthetic outcome (470) generation, thereby retaining live episode outcome;

an array of remote-player stations (900) including one or more multimedia audio (104)-video (102) presentation displays, credit (252) wagering (258), game result (256) payout of wagers on one or more live episodes to enable authenticated remote-players (112) to place credit wagers and receive credit payouts for one or more remote-player selected (260) live episodes presented on said displays at one or more remote location;

a credit rating and compensation payout system including products (482), playing points, and services (484), offered (606) by the episode content distributor (800) is selected by the remote-player (112) by e-commerce (920) based roaming (460) on said remote-player station (900);

said credit (252) wagers (258) are placed by remote-players prior to start of live episodes and said credit (252) payouts (256) are received at the end of said live episode presentations by remote-players;

an authentication system wherein each of one or more (180) said remote-player stations (900) includes one or more face imaging (268) and other biometric sensors co-located with each of said one or more remote-player (112) stations (900); and

a regulatory compliance system wherein sensors monitor a remote-player privileged zone (316) and repeatedly communicate remote-player authentication and accounting related data (910) to a regulatory surveillance control center (960).

165. The system of claim 164 wherein one or more secure communication pathways selected from a group consisting of:

wireless and wired pathways.

166. The system of claim 165 wherein one or more said wired pathways are selected from a group consisting of:

copper, fiber-optic, coax, and power cable.

167. The system of claim 165 wherein one or more said wireless pathways are selected from a group consisting of:

satellite, spread-spectrum, and infra-red.

168. The system of claim 164, wherein said presentation display is selected from a group consisting of:

monoscopic and stereoscopic; and

wherein said display is selected from a group consisting of;

flat-panel, projection TV, and head-mounted goggles.

169. The system of claim 164 wherein said live content is processed and stored prior to said distribution;

wherein the processing said live content includes editing, compression, encryption and real-time signal processing of said episodes;

wherein said editing includes branding and watermarking of said episodes;

wherein said compression is selected from a group consisting of;

JPEG, MPEG and wavelet;

wherein said encryption is selected from a group consisting of;

DES, and RSA; and

wherein one or more media for said storage are selected from a group consisting of;

magnetic disk, optical, magnetic tape, and solid-state memories.