Problem gambling detection in tabletop games

• US 7,846,020 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2006
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Tedesco, Daniel E., Sammon, Russell P., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coburn; Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US11/422,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20070293311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,644 Days
• Field of Search: 463/29
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players

Abstract

A gaming establishment may determine the existence of problem gamblers within its halls by monitoring player behavior with one or more sensors from an array of sensors. The player'"'"'s behavior is then compared to normal behavior and/or problem gambling behavior to determine if the player is potentially a problem gambler. Behavior patterns that may be tracked are player movement, player betting patterns, facial expressions, physical clues, nonverbal clues, and the like.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

on a computer, establishing a player profile with information relating to gambling habits for a player, wherein the gambling habits relate to habitual gambling times;

monitoring a current gambling time for the player;

first determining if the current gambling time is approximately consistent with the habitual gambling times in the player profile; and

second determining if the player is potentially a problem gambler based on the first determining.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the player profile comprises monitoring the player to determine a habitual day of the week in which the player habitually gambles.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the player profile comprises monitoring the player to determine a habitual block of hours in which the player habitually gambles.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the player profile comprises monitoring the player to determine a habitual number of days in which the player habitually gambles.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the player profile comprises monitoring the player to determine a habitual frequency with which the player habitually gambles.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring a current gambling time comprises monitoring using a technique selected from a group consisting of:

detecting insertion of a player card;

detecting use of a credit card, optically detecting the player, receiving a report from gaming establishment personnel about a player'"'"'s presence, receiving a signal from a weight sensor, receiving input from a dealer, receiving input from an automatic shuffle device, receiving a signal from a biometric reader, and receiving a signal from an automatic teller machine.