Location-based wagering via remote devices

• US 9,430,909 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2014
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micro-Gaming Ventures, LLC
• Original Assignee: Micro-Gaming Ventures, LLC
• Inventors: Shore, Michael W., Chan, Alfonso G., Ortiz, Luis M., Lopez, Kermit D.
• Primary Examiner(s): YEN, JASON TAHAI
• Application Number:
  US14/262,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20150287285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• 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 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• 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 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

Location based wagering method sand systems. An online wagering service can be invoked via a mobile device. A determination can be then made regarding the location of the mobile device and a jurisdiction (e.g., state, county, city, etc.) associated with that location. The mobile device and hence a user can be authorized to access the online wagering service based on the location of the mobile device. Based on the location, it can also be determined if use of the online wagering service is allowed in the jurisdiction along with prescribed limitations of use in that jurisdiction. Wagering options are then presented via the mobile device, which conform to the laws and/or regulations of the jurisdiction.

Claims

1. A system for location-based wagering, said system comprising:

a network server including data network access, a memory, and at least one processor that communicates electronically with the memory, and at least one application program module stored in the memory and configured for execution by the at least one processor to access a betting module to transform the network server into a system for enabling and managing an online gaming service including location-based wagering and microbetting by authorized users of mobile electronic devices, the betting module comprising instructions for configuring the network server to;

register users of mobile devices to access and engage in wagering including microbetting as part of said online gaming service managed by the network server by receiving and verifying information provided by the users via at least one of;

a computer or a mobile device about the users'"'"' name, the users'"'"' age, and receiving at least one of a password, a pin code or a biometric from the users;

identify registered users through the mobile devices by requesting entry by the registered user at the mobile devices of at least one of a password, a pin code, or a biometric;

identify a location of the mobile device used by the registered users by receiving at least one of;

GPS data, network IP address information, or triangulation information from the mobile devices, wherein a jurisdiction associated with the location of the mobile device is also determined based on the location of the mobile device;

determine if wagering is restricted in the jurisdiction based on the location of the mobile device;

authorize the registered users and the mobile devices being used by the registered users with access to wagering including microbetting with said online gaming service based on both the location of the mobile devices and identification of users subject to any restrictions determined based on both identifying of the location of the mobile devices and the jurisdiction associated with the location;

provide registered users with wagering data including fixed odds bets, pari-mutuel bets, and microbetting opportunities available throughout a live sporting event;

receive wagers from registered users based on inputs entered on the mobile devices by the registered users;

wherein said online gaming service further comprises an online service for video games; and

wherein the instructions are further configured for determining other mobile devices located nearby with respect to the mobile device to initiate gaming between users of the mobile devices and said mobile device for participation in a gaming event via said online gaming service.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the betting module further configures the network server to:

determine if use of said online gaming service is taxable in the jurisdiction;

automatically calculate taxes with respect to at least one bet administered via said online gaming service, if it is determined that the use of said online gaming service is taxable in the jurisdiction; and

wherein the instructions are further configured for automatically ensuring the taxes are properly accounted for and paid.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions for authorizing the mobile device access to said online gaming service based on said location of the mobile device, further include instructions configured for:

selecting from among a plurality of authorization forms to be signed electronically by a user of the mobile device to ensure that the user is legally authorized in the jurisdiction to gamble via said online gaming service at the location.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the instructions are further configured for selecting, via a graphical user interface associated with the mobile device, from among a variety of forms of gambling that are legal in the jurisdiction associated with the location.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further configured for automatically imposing gaming limits with respect to said online gaming service with respect to the jurisdiction and based on the location, the gaming limits including an amount of a bet, an amount of a loss, and a number of bets.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further configured for at a random interval, verifying via a user input from the mobile device that the user is a person and not a machine.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions for determining the location of the mobile device, further include instructions for determining the location of the mobile device via a transponder.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the network server is further configured with instructions for:

selecting, via a graphical user interface associated with the mobile device, from among a variety of forms of gambling that are legal in the jurisdiction associated with the location;

authorizing at least one gambling type legal in the jurisdiction and based on the location; and

automatically imposing gaming limits with respect to said online gaming service with respect to the jurisdiction and based on the location, the gaming limits including an amount of a bet, an amount of a loss, and a number of bets.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising providing registered users with video of the live event for display on the mobile devices during the live event.

10. A system for location-based wagering, comprising:

a network server including data network access, a memory, at least one processor that communicates electronically with the memory, and at least one application program stored in the memory and configured for execution by the at least one processor to access a betting module and transform the network server into a system for enabling and managing an online gaming service including location-based wagering and microbetting by authorized mobile electronic devices, the betting module comprising instructions for configuring the network server to;

register new users to access and engage in wagering as part of the online gaming service managed by the network server by receiving and verifying information from the new users via a remote computer, the information including user name, user age, and receiving at least one of a password, a pin code or a biometric from the new users;

identify registered users through a mobile device by requesting entry at the mobile device of at least one of a password, a pin code, or a biometric;

identify a location of the mobile devices being used by the registered users by receiving at least one of GPS data, network IP address information, or triangulation information from the mobile devices, wherein a jurisdiction associated with the location is also determined based on the location;

determine if wagering is restricted in the jurisdiction based on the location;

authorize the registered users and the mobile devices with access to wagering including microbetting with the online gaming service based on both the location of the mobile devices subject to any restrictions based on the identifying of the location of the mobile devices and the jurisdiction associated with the location;

provide registered users with wagering data including fixed odds bets, pari-mutuel bets, and microbetting opportunities available throughout a live sporting event;

receive wagers from registered users based on inputs entered on the mobile devices by the registered users; and

determining other mobile devices located nearby with respect to the mobile device to initiate gaming between users of the mobile devices and said mobile device for participation in a gaming event via said online gaming service.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the instructions are further configured for:

determining if use of said online gaming service is taxable in the jurisdiction;

automatically calculating taxes with respect to at least one bet administered via said online gaming service, if it is determined that the use of said online gaming service is taxable in the jurisdiction; and

automatically ensuring the taxes are properly accounted for and paid.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the network server is further configured with instructions for the network server to provide registered users with video of the live event for display on the mobile devices during the live event.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the network server is further configured with instructions for the network server to execute at least one of:

select, via a graphical user interface associated with the mobile device, from among a variety of forms of gambling that are legal in the jurisdiction associated with the location;

authorize at least one gambling type legal in the jurisdiction and based on the location;

or

automatically impose gaming limits with respect to said online gaming service with respect to the jurisdiction and based on the location, the gaming limits including an amount of a bet, an amount of a loss, and a number of bets.

14. A method for providing location-based wagering to authorize mobile device users, said method comprising:

registering new users of an online gaming service with a network server configured by at least one application program with access to a betting module to configure the network server to run and manage the online gaming service including location-based wagering and microbetting accessible to authorized mobile electronic devices and registered users by receiving and verifying information provided by the new users via a remote computer, the information including a user name, a user age, and at least one of a password, a pin code or a biometric provided by the new user;

identifying the registered users through mobile devices by requesting entry at the mobile devices of at least one of a password, a pin code, or a biometric associated with the registered users;

identifying a location of the mobile devices being used by the registered users by receiving at least one of GPS data, network IP address information, or triangulation information from the mobile devices, wherein a jurisdiction associated with the location is also determined based on the location;

determining if wagering is restricted in the jurisdiction based on the location;

authorizing the mobile devices and the registered users with access to wagering including microbetting via the online gaming service based on both the location of the mobile devices and subject to any restrictions based on the location of the mobile devices and the jurisdiction associated with the location;

providing registered users with wagering data including fixed odds bets, pari-mutuel bets, and microbetting opportunities available throughout a live sporting event; and

receiving wagers from registered users based on inputs entered on the mobile devices by the registered users; and

wherein the instructions are further configured for determining other mobile devices located nearby with respect to the mobile device to initiate gaming between users of the mobile devices and said mobile device for participation in a gaming event via said online gaming service.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining if use of said online gaming service is taxable in the jurisdiction;

automatically calculating taxes with respect to at least one bet administered via said online gaming service, if it is determined that the use of said online gaming service is taxable in the jurisdiction; and

automatically ensuring the taxes are properly accounted for and paid.

16. The method system of claim 14 further comprising providing registered users with video of the live event for display on the mobile devices during the live event.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

selecting, via a graphical user interface associated with the mobile device, from among a variety of forms of gambling that are legal in the jurisdiction associated with the location;

authorizing at least one gambling type legal in the jurisdiction and based on the location;

or

automatically imposing gaming limits with respect to said online gaming service with respect to the jurisdiction and based on the location, the gaming limits including an amount of a bet, an amount of a loss, and a number of bets.