Method of leasing a gaming machine for a percentage of a net win amount

• US 7,666,090 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2005
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Hettinger, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hall; Arthur O.
• Application Number:
  US11/042,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20060166733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,855 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/16, 463 20- 21, 463 18- 23, 463 25- 27, 463 29- 34, 463 9- 13, 463/42, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/141.A, 273/142.B, 273/142.C, 273/142.J, 273/142.R, 273/145.R, 273/147, 273/292, 273454-456, 273460-461, 705/1, 705 7- 8, 705/26, 705/59, 705/14, 705/35, 705/36.R, 705/37, 705/42, 705/77, 700 99-102, 902/10, 902/23
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

A method of leasing a gaming machine is provided that includes determining a monetary average machine net win in monetary units per gaming machine per unit of time for a group of existing gaming machines, receiving the leased gaming machine, and determining a monetary payment amount for the leased gaming machine for a second time period based on the average machine net win, the monetary payment amount equaling a percentage of a new gaming machine net win amount.

Claims

1. A method of operating a casino gaming system including a plurality of instructions, said method comprising:

for an operatively coupled non-leased group of casino gaming machines located on a gaming floor of a casino, causing at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to calculate a monetary average machine net win in monetary units per casino gaming machine per unit of time for a first time period, each one of the casino gaming machines of the non-leased group configured to;

(a) provide a player with an opportunity to place a wager for a play of the casino gaming machine; and

(b) perform the play, said monetary average machine net win calculated by dividing a total net win amount for the first time period for all of said casino gaming machines in said non-leased group by the total number of said casino gaming machines in said non-leased group of casino gaming machines, said total net win amount equaling a total coin-in amount for all of said casino gaming machines in said non-leased group minus a total paid out amount for all of said casino gaming machines in said non-leased group and minus any amounts escrowed for a future jackpot or award;

for a leased casino gaming machine located on the gaming floor of the casino and leased from a casino gaming machine supplier, causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a leased machine net win amount for a second time period which occurs after the first time period ends, said leased casino gaming machine configured to;

(a) operate a game display unit that is capable of generating video images, (b) operate a value input device, (c) operate a controller that is programmed to allow a player to provide a wager, (d) determine a value payout associated with an outcome of a game, and (e) cause a video image representing at least one of the following games to be generated on said game display unit;

poker, blackjack, slots, keno or bingo, the leased machine net win amount equaling a total coin-in amount at said leased casino gaming machine for said second time period minus a total amount paid out to all players playing at said leased casino gaming machine for said second time period and minus any amounts escrowed for a future jackpot or award for the second time period;

causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a percentage based, at least in part, on the average machine net win of the non-leased group of casino gaming machines, the percentage being less than 50% and greater than 2%;

causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a monetary payment amount for the leased casino gaming machine for the second time period by applying the determined percentage to the leased machine net win amount; and

causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions transmit information about the determined monetary payment amount to facilitate payment of said monetary payment amount to said casino gaming machine supplier for said leased casino gaming machine if said monetary payment amount is greater than zero.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, comprising causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions transmit information about the determined monetary payment amount to facilitate payment of said monetary payment amount on a monthly basis.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to subtract an additional monetary amount from said leased machine net win amount in determining said monetary payment amount.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to adjust said monetary payment amount if said leased machine net win amount is determined to be less than said average machine net win.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, comprising causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to determine said monetary payment amount based on a variable percentage of said leased machine net win amount.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, comprising causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to determine the monetary payment amount for the leased casino gaming machine for the second time period by applying a percentage which is negotiated prior to receiving said leased casino gaming machine from said casino gaming machine supplier to the leased machine net win amount.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, comprising causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to identify said non-leased group of casino gaming machines based on a characteristic associated with each of said existing gaming machines in said group.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, comprising causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to identify said non-leased group of casino gaming machines based a geographic characteristic.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, comprising causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to identify said non-leased group of casino gaming machines based on one of the following geographic characteristics:

at least one of a bank of casino gaming machines, at least one section of floor space, or an entire casino.

10. A method as defined claim 7, comprising causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to identify said non-leased group of casino gaming machines based on one of the following common characteristics:

a denomination, a title, a theme, a math model, a common system connection, a common jackpot.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, comprising causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to adjust said monetary payment amount based on a national consumer price index if said leased machine net win amount is determined to be less than said average machine net win amount.

12. A method as defined in claim 1, comprising causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to cause a modification to a game content provided to said leased casino gaming machine for said same monetary payment amount.

13. A method of operating a casino gaming system including a plurality of instructions, said method comprising:

causing at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to activate an operatively coupled non-leased group of casino gaming machines for a first time period, said non-leased group of casino gaming machines being located at a facility, each one of the casino gaming machines of the non-leased group configured to;

(a) provide a player with an opportunity to place a wager for a play of the casino gaming machine; and

(b) perform the play;

causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to calculate, for said non-leased group of casino gaming machines, a monetary average machine net win in monetary units per gaming machine per unit of time for the first time period, said monetary average machine net win calculated by dividing a total net win amount for the first time period at all of said casino gaming machines in said non-leased group by the total number of said casino gaming machines in said non-leased group of casino gaming machines, said total net win amount equaling a total coin-in amount for all of said casino gaming machines in said non-leased group minus a total paid out amount for all of said casino gaming machines in said non-leased group and minus any amounts escrowed for a future jackpot or award;

for a second time period which occurs after the first time period ends, causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to activate a leased casino gaming machine which is located at the facility and leased from a casino gaming machine supplier, said leased casino gaming machine configured to;

(a) operate a game display unit that is capable of generating video images, (b) operate a value input device, (c) operate a controller that is programmed to allow a player to provide a wager, (d) determine a value payout associated with an outcome of a game, and (e) cause a video image representing one of the following games to be generated on said game display unit;

poker, blackjack, slots, keno or bingo;

causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a leased machine net win amount for the second time period, the leased machine net win amount equaling a total coin-in amount at said leased casino gaming machine for said second time period minus a total amount paid out to all players playing at said leased casino gaming machine for said second time period and minus any amounts escrowed for a future jackpot or award for the second time period;

causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a percentage based, at least in part, on the average machine net win of the non-leased group of casino gaming machines, the percentage being less than 98% and greater than 50%;

causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a monetary payment amount for the leased casino gaming machine for the second time period, the monetary payment amount being calculated by reducing the leased machine net win amount by the determined percentage of the leased machine net win amount; and

causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to transmit information about the determined monetary payment amount to facilitate payment of said monetary payment amount to the casino gaming machine supplier for the leased casino gaming machine if the monetary payment amount is greater than zero.

14. A method as defined in claim 13, comprising causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to adjust said monetary payment amount if said leased machine net win amount is determined to be less than said average machine net win.

15. A method as defined in claim 13, further comprising causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to subtract an additional monetary amount from said leased machine net win amount in determining said monetary payment amount.

16. A method as defined in claim 13, comprising causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to determine said monetary payment amount based on a variable percentage of said leased machine net win amount.

17. A method as defined in claim 13, comprising causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to identify said non-leased group of existing gaming machines based on one of the following common characteristic:

a denomination, a title, a theme, a math model, a common system connection, a common jackpot.

18. A method as defined in claim 13, comprising causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to increase said monetary payment amount by a percentage of said total coin-in amount.

19. A method as defined in claim 13, comprising causing the at least one network computer to execute the plurality of instructions to cause a modification of a game content provided to said leased gaming machine for said same monetary payment amount.