Systems for Enhancing Funding of Gaming

• US 20100222132A1
• Filed: 09/11/2006
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Everi Payments, Inc. (Everi Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Everi Payments, Inc. (Everi Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Connelly, Robert Vincent JR., Sanford, Kirk Edward, Sears, Thomas Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,992,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

Apparatus and method for facilitating the funding of gaming and preferably the purchase of gaming vouchers (slot vouchers) with commercial bank cards and/or with casino and/or new credit accounts (private label and/or affiliate/Networking permanent or temporary) and/or the prompting of opening of a new credit account, including an automated kiosk located on a gaming floor proximate to gaming machines but separate from particular gaming machines, and including method and apparatus for the purchase and redemption of vouchers at a gaming table, including reading and printing equipment in communication with a voucher host; also including a prompt to open new a gaming oriented line of credit, associated with a refusal of an EFT transaction, preferably a credit/debit card cash advance request, and including a preferred gaming oriented credit card account and card (private label and/or affiliate/Networking permanent or temporary) (including a patron selection coded card) having cash advance limits commensurate with credit limits for gaming oriented transactions and wherein a cash advance can be secured within an hour after the opening and approval of the account, the approval of the account preferably based on EFT gaming transaction history.

Claims

1. An automated kiosk located on a gaming floor proximate to but separate from gaming machines, comprising

user communication equipment;

and

the kiosk in communication with a financial transaction merchant and, directly or indirectly, with a commercial EFT network, a casino voucher accounting system and a casino account accounting system.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 having a ticket/receipt/temporary card/permanent card reader/scanner for information associated with a casino account.

2. An automated kiosk located on a gaming floor proximate to but separate from gaming machines, comprising

user communication equipment;

the kiosk in communication with a financial transaction merchant and, directly or indirectly, with a commercial EFT network and a casino voucher accounting system; and

the kiosk and financial transaction merchant structured in combination to receive information in regard to a new card account and to formulate a request for funds through a new card account system based on the information.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 having a ticket/receipt/temporary card/permanent card reader/scanner for information associated with a new card account.

5. An automated kiosk on a gaming floor located proximate to but separate from gaming machines, comprising:

user communication equipment and a card reader;

structure for communication, directly or indirectly, with commercial EFT networks; and

structure for querying whether a user would like to open a new credit account.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the kiosk is structured to query whether a user would like to open a new casino credit account.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the kiosk is structured to query whether the user would like to open a new gaming oriented credit account.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the apparatus is structured to query whether the user would like to open a new credit account subsequent to not receiving approval of a request for funds based upon a commercial EFT card account.

9. A method for funding gaming using an automated kiosk located proximate to but separate from gaming machines, having user communication equipment and being in communication with a financial transaction merchant and, directly or indirectly, a commercial EFT network and a voucher accounting system, comprising:

reading/scanning information from a ticket/receipt/temporary card/permanent card related to a casino account by equipment associated with the kiosk;

communicating with a casino account accounting system from the kiosk based on the information; and

issuing a voucher based on the account from the kiosk.

10. A method for funding gaming using an automated kiosk located proximate to but separate from gaming machines, having user communication equipment and being in communication with a financial transaction merchant and, directly or indirectly, a commercial EFT network and a voucher accounting system, comprising:

reading/scanning information from a ticket/receipt/temporary card related/permanent card to a new card account by equipment associated with the kiosk;

formulating a request for funds processable through the financial transaction merchant with a new card account system and based on the information; and

issuing a voucher based on the account from the kiosk.

11. A method for funding gaming using an automated kiosk located proximate to but separate from gaming machines, having user communication equipment and being in communication with a financial transaction merchant and, directly or indirectly, a commercial EFT network and a voucher accounting system, comprising:

entering information related to a casino account using equipment associated with the kiosk;

communicating with a casino account accounting system from the kiosk; and

issuing a voucher based on the account from the kiosk.

12. A method for funding gaming using an automated kiosk located proximate to but separate from a gaming machine and having user communication equipment and in communication with a financial transaction merchant and, directly or indirectly, a commercial EFT network and a voucher accounting system, comprising:

entering information related to a new card account using equipment associated with the kiosk;

formulating a request for funds processable from the financial transaction merchant through a new card account system based on the information; and

issuing a voucher based on the account from the kiosk.

13. A voucher redemption system oriented for table games, comprising:

a voucher scanner/reader and a voucher receipt printer associated with a POS terminal at a gaming table;

the POS terminal in communication with a voucher host structured to validate a voucher and a voucher amount; and

the POS terminal structured to display a redemption amount received from the voucher host and structured together with the voucher receipt printer to print a voucher receipt.

14. A voucher issuing system oriented for table games, comprising:

a POS terminal having user communication equipment and a voucher printer;

the POS terminal structured to receive approved amount information and to communicate the received approved amount information, to a voucher host and to receive voucher issuing information from the voucher host; and

the POS terminal structured together with a voucher printer to print a voucher related to the received issuing information.

15. A cashless gaming system for table games, comprising

a fund entry device;

a voucher printer;

a voucher reader/scanner; and

a voucher receipt printer;

the reader/scanner, receipt printer, voucher printer and fund entry device located at a gaming table and in communication, directly or indirectly, with a voucher host, the host structured to account for issued and redeemed vouchers.

16. The apparatus of a claim 15 wherein the voucher host is structured to transmit voucher transactional data to a casino management software system.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the fund entry device includes a user activated data entry device.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the fund entry device includes a card reader.

19. The system of claim 15 that incorporates a point of sale terminal.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the fund entry device includes a receipt/key temporary card/personal card reader/scanner.

20-1. A method for providing cashless gaming for table games, comprising:

entering an amount into a fund entry device at a table;

communicating the amount to a voucher host;

receiving information to be printed on a voucher at the table;

and printing a voucher with the information at the table.

21. A method for providing cashless gaming for table games, comprising:

reading/scanning a voucher at a table;

communicating voucher information to a voucher host for validation;

receiving redemption information relating to the voucher at the table;

issuing funds corresponding to the voucher amount at the table; and

issuing a receipt for the voucher at the table.

22. A method for funding gaming using an automated kiosk located proximate to but separate from a gaming machine and having user communication equipment and in communication with a financial transaction merchant, and directly or indirectly, a commercial EFT network and a voucher accounting system, comprising:

receiving a denial of an EFT card transaction at the kiosk; and

prompting a patron at the kiosk as to whether they would like to open a new card account.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the receiving the denial occurs prior to the prompting.

24. A gaming oriented credit card account, comprising:

a credit account associated with an EFT card, the card processable through EFT financial transaction terminals and EFT financial transaction networks for a variety of merchants;

the account having a cash advance limit commensurate with a credit limit for gaming oriented transactions; and

the account making available a cash transaction within at least an hour of completing an account opening transaction (when an account issuer is a merchant of the cash transaction.

25. The account of claim 24 having a cash advance limit and/or a credit limit for gaming oriented transactions based on a history of EFT gaming oriented transactions.

26. The account of claim 24 wherein the cash advance limit and/or credit limit is based at least in part on account-owner EFT gaming transaction history.

27. The account of claim 24 wherein the cash transaction is available within at least ten minutes of completing an account opening transaction.

28. The account of claim 24 wherein the EFT card carries an indicia of patron selection.

29. The account of claim 28 wherein the EFT card carries a visible indicia of patron selection.

30. The account of claim 28 wherein rewards are awarded to an account owner based on EFT card account use and the indicia of patron selection.

31. The account of claim 30 where the rewards include cash.

32. The account of claim 24 wherein the account is associated with a PIN.

56. The account of claim 31 where the cash rewards are available at an issuer owned cash dispensing terminal.

33. A method for enhanced patron funding in a casino comprising:

opening a credit card account;

associating with the account an EFT card processable through EFT financial transaction terminals and EFT financial transaction networks by a variety of merchants;

associating a cash advance limit with the account commensurate with an account credit limit for gaming oriented transactions; and

making available a cash transaction to a patron in a casino within at least an hour of completing an account opening transaction when an account issuer is a merchant of the cash transaction.

34. The method of claim 33 including setting a cash advance limit based at least in part on a history of EFT gaming oriented transactions.

35. The method of claim 33 that includes making available a cash transaction within at least ten minutes of completing an account opening transaction.

36. The method of claim 33 that includes associating with the account a PIN.

37. The method of claim 33 that includes associating with the card an indicia of patron selection.

38. The method of claim 37 that includes awarding rewards to an account owner based at least in part on EFT card account use for gaming and the indicia of patron selection.

39. The method of claim 38 that includes cash rewards.

40. A method for enhanced patron funding in a casino, comprising:

receiving a denial of a request for an EFT transaction by a patron in a casino; and

prompting the patron to apply for a new line of credit, useable within at least an hour of completing the application process in establishments where a line of credit issuer is a merchant in regard to the use.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the receiving and the prompting take place at an automated station and the prompting is automated.

42. The method of claim 41 that includes securing credit related information from the patron at the automated station.

43. The method of claim 40 that includes utilizing EFT gaming oriented transaction history in approving the new line of credit.

44. The method of claim 40 that includes prompting to apply for a new line of credit associated with an EFT credit card account.

45. The method of claim 40 that includes utilizing patron EFT gaming oriented transaction history in approving the new line of credit.

46. The method of claim 40 that includes providing the prompting subsequent to receiving the denial.

47. A method for enhanced patron funding in a casino, comprising:

providing a casino patron an opportunity to initiate a new line of credit at an automated station in a casino, including an opportunity to submit patron information; and

within at least an hour of an approval of the new line of credit for the patron, providing the patron funds including cash or cash equivalent, in the casino based on the new line of credit.

48. The method of claim 47 that includes receiving a denial of request for an EFT transaction by patron at a casino at an automated station and subsequently prompting the patron at the automated station.

49. The method of claim 47 wherein the new line of credit is useable for cash transactions in establishments where a line of credit account issuer is a merchant of the cash transaction.

50. The method of claim 47 wherein receiving a denial of a request for an EFT transaction is a denial of a request for an EFT credit card cash advance transaction.

51. The method of claim 47 wherein the approved new line of credit includes an EFT card account having a cash advance limit based on EFT gaming transaction history.

52. The method of claim 47 wherein the providing of the funds occurs within at least ten minutes of the approval.

53. The method of claim 47 wherein the new line of credit includes a casino line of credit.

54. A credit card processable through EFT financial transaction terminals, comprising:

an indicia of patron selection encoded in machine readable form

55. The card of claim 54 wherein the card is visibly coded for patron selection.