Universal comp bank and regional servers for use in multi-property casino enterprise

• US 7,329,185 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2003
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caesars License Company, LLC (Caesars Entertainment, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harrah's Operating Company Incorporated (Caesars Entertainment, Inc.)
• Inventors: Larsen, Gregory D., Conover, Robert G., Paiva, George D.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEZZUTO, ROBERT ERIC
• Application Number:
  US10/419,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20040209674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,758 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/29, 463/42, 705/63, 705/68, 705/77, 705/14, 705/16
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5513 involving billing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• 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

Abstract

A multi-property comp bank allows comp points to be earned and redeemed in an aggregated manner at a plurality of affiliated casino properties. The comp bank includes a first bank account of comp points for each casino patron having a balance that is visible to the patron, accessible by the patron, and directly redeemable by the patron, and a second bank account of comp points having a balance that is invisible to the patron, accessible only by authorized casino employees, and redeemable on a discretionary basis only by authorized casino employees. Each award of comp points is apportioned between the patron'"'"'s first and second bank accounts according to a predetermined ratio. The comp points in the first bank account can be aggregated across properties and redeemed at any property, whereas the comp points in the second bank account can be redeemed only at the property where they were earned .

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of allocating awarded comp points to casino patrons of a casino enterprise having a plurality of affiliated casino properties, each comp point having a predetermined dollar value, each casino patron having an account number, the method comprising:

(a) providing a first bank account of comp points for each casino patron account number, the balance of the first bank account being visible to the patron, accessible by the patron, and directly redeemable by the patron, the comp points in the first bank account being redeemable on a multi-property basis;

(b) providing a second bank account of comp points for each casino patron account number, the balance of the second bank account being invisible to the patron, accessible only by authorized casino employees, and redeemable on a discretionary basis only by authorized casino employees, the comp points in the second bank account being redeemable only on an individual property basis;

(c) awarding a patron comp points for selected gaming activity at any affiliated property of the casino enterprise; and

(d) for each award of comp points, apportioning the awarded comp points between the patron'"'"'s first and second bank accounts according to a predetermined ratio.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) further comprises awarding a patron comp points for selected non-gaming activity at any affiliated property of the casino enterprise;

and step (d) further comprises for each award of comp points for selected non-gaming activity, placing the entire awarded comp points in the first bank account.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein comp points awarded for non-gaming activity are restricted to preferred patrons.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the comp points awarded for at least some gaming activity are awarded based on theoretical win for the gaming activity.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the comp points awarded for at least some gaming activity are awarded based on a percentage of the total dollars spent on the gaming activity.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the point balance in the first bank account cannot become negative, and the point balance in the second bank account is allowed to become negative.