Cashless computerized video game system and method

• US 8,876,594 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated), Oneida Indian Nation
• Original Assignee: Oneida Indian Nation
• Inventors: Riolo, Frank J., Holch, Neils C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Liddle, Jay Trent
• Application Number:
  US11/833,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20080020826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,650 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/29, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• 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 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• 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 cashless wagering game system is described herein. In some embodiments, the wagering game system includes a control network. The control network can include an account server configured to receive player activity information and demographic information over a network, wherein the player activity information includes a financial transaction associated with a player account, and where the demographic information is associated with a player. The control network can also include a player terminal configured to present a wagering game and to report the player activity information to the account server.

Claims

1. A wagering game system comprising:

an account server configured to

receive, from player terminals, player activity information over a network, wherein the player activity information indicates player selections made during wagering games and financial transactions associated with player accounts;

determine, based on the player activity information, verification balances for verifying local account balances at the player terminals;

transmit, to the player terminals, the verification balances;

the player terminals configured to

present wagering games of a first type;

report the player activity information to the account server;

receive the verification balances; and

compare the verification balances to the local account balances to verify the local account balances;

a report server configured to determine, based in part on the player activity information, that demand for the first wagering game type has changed;

control applications configured to select a second wagering game type based on information from the report server; and

a game server configured to generate random numbers for wagering games of the first and second wagering game types, and to transmit the random numbers to the player terminals.

2. The wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the account server is further configured to determine, before presentation of the wagering games, that the player accounts include funds sufficient to complete the financial transactions.

3. The wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the account server is further configured to determine, before presentation of the wagering games, that the player accounts include funds sufficient to pay wagers associated with the wagering games.

4. The wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the account server is further configured to credit the player accounts after winning results of the wagering games, and to debit the player accounts after losing results of the wagering games.

5. The wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the player terminals report the player activity information to the account server in real-time.

6. The wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the player activity information further includes one or more of an account number, information about one or more of the wagering games, wager amounts, and player choices made during the wagering game.

7. The wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the system further includes:

an account files database configured to record the financial transactions.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, over a network at an account server, player activity information, wherein the player activity information indicates player selections made during wagering games and financial transactions associated with player accounts;

determining, at the account server based on the player activity information, verification balances for verifying local account balances at the player terminals;

transmitting, to the player terminals, the verification balances;

presenting, on the player terminals, wagering games of a first type;

reporting, by the player terminals, player activity information to the account server;

receiving, at the player terminals, the verification balances;

comparing, at the player terminals, the verification balances to the local account balances to verify the local account balances;

determining, at a report server based in part on the player activity information, that demand for the first wagering game type has changed;

selecting, by control applications, a second wagering game type based on the information from the report server;

generating, at a game server, random numbers for wagering games of the first and second wagering game types; and

transmitting, to the player terminals, the random numbers.

9. The method of claim 8 further including:

determining, at the account server before presentation of the wagering games, that the player accounts include funds sufficient to complete the financial transactions.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the player activity information further indicates one or more of player account numbers, information about the plurality of wagering games, and amounts wagered on the player terminals.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the player activity information is received as a result of real-time transmission over the network.