Safe gaming system

• US 6,629,890 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2001
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safe Gaming System, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Richard A. Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hughes, S. Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): White, Carmen D.
• Application Number:
  US09/759,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20010031663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 463/40-42, 463/16-22, 463/24-25
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• 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 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

A gaming control system applicable to all forms of gambling, electronic or otherwise, is disclosed. The system includes an Internet Web site, with associated control software, which is a portal that serves as a “safe gaming” interface between online gambling individuals and Internet-based gambling sites. The system also allows players at physical gaming locations to register with the system or “safe gaming” at video terminals or at gaming tables. The portal software and distributed components of the system, track an individual'"'"'s gaming transactions and provide alerts to the individual of reaching or exceeding loss limits, time limits, changes in gambling behavior, and other related services.

Claims

1. A method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual, via a global telecommunications network, the method comprising the steps:

(a) accepting selected profile attributes agreed to by the individual, the attributes including personal financial, social and psychological factors, gambling behavior including speed of play and quality of decisions, and specific gaming control parameters, into a first data base;

(b) accepting selected gaming sites into a second data base;

(c) establishing a unique account for the individual in the first data base;

(d) providing to each selected gaming site in the second data base, access to said first data base plus operating software for monitoring and terminating the gaming activities of an individual;

(e) providing unique mean for an individual to identify the individual'"'"'s profile attributes and unique account in the first data base;

(f) supplying the identifying means by an individual to a selected gaming site to commence gaming activities;

(g) monitoring by the operating software the gaming activities between an individual with profile attributes and unique account in said first data base and a gaming site in said second data base; and

(h) providing expert regulation of the gaming activities of an individual, expert regulation including monitoring changes in gambling behavior, changes in speed of play, changes in quality of decisions, monetary end point and total time end point, expert regulation including terminating by the operating software the gaming activities of an individual upon the individual deviating from at least one of said selected profile attributes of the individual in said first data base.

2. The method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual according to claim 1, wherein said specific gaming control parameters include a specific monetary loss limit for a specific time period.

3. The method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual according to claim 1, wherein accepting selected profile attributes entered by the individual into a first data base and accepting selected gaming sites into a second data base is via a global communications network.

4. The method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual according to claim 1, wherein establishing a unique account for the individual in the first data base includes only accumulating a record of gaming transactions with uncontrolled monetary sources for the individual.

5. The method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual according to claim 1, wherein establishing a unique account for the individual in the first data base includes providing a gaming account of specified monetary value for a selected time period for gaming transactions for an individual, and accumulating a record of gaming transactions for the individual.

6. The method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual according to claim 1, wherein providing access to said first data base plus operating software to each selected gaming site in the second data base includes copying the first data base plus operating software for monitoring and terminating the gaming activities of individuals to a server of the selected gaming site.

7. The method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual according to claim 1, wherein the unique identifying means for an individual includes an electronically readable card device.

8. The method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual according to claim 1, wherein the unique identifying means for an individual includes an identification name and password assigned to the individual'"'"'s unique account.

9. The method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual according to claim 1, further including periodically notifying the individual of current monetary amounts expended and current gaming time expended by the individual.

10. The method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual according to claim 1, further including providing a warning message to the individual upon the individual'"'"'s gaming activities approaching a limit of at least one of said selected profile attributes of the individual.

11. The method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual according to claim 1, further including providing a summary report to an individual on the individual'"'"'s gaming activities.

12. The method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual according to claim 1, wherein the selected profile attributes agreed to by the individual in step (a) include gaming control parameters determined by legislation and jurisdiction.

13. A method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual, via a global telecommunications network, the method comprising the steps:

(a) accepting selected profile attributes agreed to by the individual, the attributes including personal financial, social and psychological factors, gambling behavior including speed of play and quality of decisions, and specific gaming control parameters, via the global telecommunications network into a first data base;

(b) accepting selected gaming sites via the global telecommunications network into a second data base;

(c) establishing a unique account for the individual in the first data base;

(d) providing unique means for an individual to identify the individual'"'"'s profile attributes and unique account in the first data base;

(e) providing a system portal on the global telecommunications network, said system portal containing said first and second data bases plus operating software for monitoring and terminating the gaming activities of an individual;

(f) providing a unique browser-integrated, software program to the individual for accessing said system portal on the global telecommunications network, and for activating monitoring upon connection to a selected online gaming site in said second data base;

(g) selecting a gaming site in said second data base with said unique browser-integrated, software program by an individual with profile attributes and unique account in said first data base via the global telecommunications network;

(h) sending gaming activities via the global telecommunications network between an individual with profile attributes and unique account in said first data base and a gaming site in said second data base;

(i) monitoring by said system portal software of the gaming activities via the global telecommunications network between an individual with profile attributes and unique account in said first data base and a gaining site said second data base; and

(j) providing expert regulation of the gaming activities of an individual, expert regulation including monitoring changes in gambling behavior, changes in speed of play, changes in quality of decisions, monetary end point and total time end point, expert regulation including terminating by said system portal software the gaming activities of an individual upon the individual deviating from at least one of said selected profile attributes of the individual in said first data base.

14. The method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual according to claim 13, wherein said specific gaming control parameters include a specific monetary loss limit for a specific time period.

15. The method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual according to claim 13, wherein establishing a unique account for the individual in the first data base includes only accumulating a record of gaming transactions with uncontrolled monetary sources for the individual.

16. The method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual according to claim 13, wherein establishing a unique account for the individual in the first data base includes providing a gaming account of specified monetary value for a selected time period for gaming transactions for the individual, and accumulating a record of gaming transactions for the individual.

17. The method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual according to claim 13, wherein the unique identifying means for an individual includes an identification name and password assigned to the individual'"'"'s unique account.

18. The method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual according to claim 13, further including periodically notifying the individual of current monetary amounts expended and current gaming time expended by the individual.

19. The method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual according to claim 13, further including providing a warning message to the individual upon the individual'"'"'s gaming activities approaching a limit of at least one of said selected profile attributes of the individual.

20. The method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual according to claim 13, further including providing a summary report to an individual on the individual'"'"'s gaming activities.

21. The method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual according to claim 13, wherein the selected profile attributes agreed to by the individual in step (a) include gaming control parameters determined by legislation and jurisdiction.

22. A method for automatically monitoring, regulating and terminating the gaming activities of an individual, the method comprising the steps:

(a) accepting selected profile attributes agreed to by the individual, the attributes including personal financial, social and psychological factors, gambling behavior including speed of play and quality of decisions, and including a specific monetary loss limit for a specific time period, into a first data base;

(b) accepting selected gaming sites into a second data base;

(c) establishing a unique account for the individual in the first data base, said unique account including a gaming account of specified monetary value for a selected time period for all gaming transactions for the individual, and the unique account accumulating a record of gaming transactions for the individual;

(d) providing to each selected gaming site in the second data base, access to said first data base plus operating software for monitoring and terminating the gaming activities of an individual;

(e) providing unique means for an individual to identify the individual'"'"'s profile attributes and unique account in the first data base;

(f) supplying the identifying means by an individual to a selected gaming site to commence gaming activities;

(g) monitoring by the operating software the gaming activities between an individual with profile attributes and unique account in said first data base and a gaming site in said second data base; and

(h) providing expert regulation of the gaming activities of an individual, expert regulation including monitoring changes in gambling behavior, changes in speed of play, changes in quality of decisions, monetary end point and total time end point, expert regulation including terminating by said system portal software the gaming activities of an individual upon the individual deviating from at least one of said selected profile attributes of the individual in said first data base.