Systems for enhancing funding of gaming

• US 9,972,168 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2015
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Everi Payments, Inc. (Everi Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Everi Payments, Inc. (Everi Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sanford, Kirk Edward, Sears, Thomas Michael, Connelly, Jr., Robert Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): RENWICK, REGINALD A
• Application Number:
  US14/673,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20150279158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

Apparatus and method for facilitating the funding of gaming and preferably the purchase of gaming vouchers (slot vouchers) with commercial bank cards and/or with casino and/or new credit accounts (private label) and/or affiliate/Networking permanent or temporary) and/or the prompting of opening of a new credit account, including an automated kiosk located on a gaming floor proximate to gaming machines but separate from particular gaming machines, and including method and apparatus for the purchase and redemption of vouchers at a gaming table, including reading and printing equipment in communication with a voucher host; also including a prompt to open new a gaming oriented line of credit, associated with a refusal of an EFT transaction, preferably a credit/debit card cash advance request, and including a preferred gaming oriented credit card account and card (private label and/or affiliate/Networking permanent or temporary) (including a patron selection coded card) having cash advance limits commensurate with credit limits for gaming oriented transactions and wherein a cash advance can be secured within an hour after the opening and approval of the account, the approval of the account preferably based on EFT gaming transaction history.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a gaming oriented credit card account, comprising:

receiving a request for a cash advance or quasi cash transaction from a user at an EFT enabled kiosk via at least a card reader and/or an input device of said kiosk;

sending said request to a third-part authorization server;

receiving at said kiosk a communication from the third-part authorization server that the request is denied;

presenting via a display of the kiosk said user with an offer to establish a gaming oriented credit card account, the gaming oriented credit card account comprising;

a credit account associated with an EFT card, the card processable through EFT financial transaction terminals and EFT financial transaction networks for a variety of merchants; and

the account having a cash advance limit commensurate with a credit limit for gaming oriented transactions;

receiving input via the input device of the kiosk of an acceptance of said offer and in response to said input receiving credit information from the user via the input device and/or card reader of the kiosk;

completing an account opening transaction in response to receiving said credit information from the user; and

making available a cash transaction within at least an hour of the completing of the account opening transaction when an account issuer is a merchant of the cash transaction.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising setting the cash advance limit and/or the credit limit for gaming oriented transactions based on a history of EFT gaming oriented transactions.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the cash advance limit and/or credit limit is based at least in part on account-owner EFT gaming transaction history.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the cash transaction is available within at least ten minutes of the completing of the account opening transaction.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the EFT card carries an indicia of patron selection.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the EFT card carries a visible indicia of patron selection.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein rewards are awarded to the user based on EFT card account use and the indicia of patron selection.

8. The method of claim 7 where the rewards include cash.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the account is associated with a PIN.

10. A method for enhanced patron funding in a casino comprising:

receiving at an EFT enabled kiosk a communication from a third-party authorization server declining a transaction, the kiosk comprising a card reader, a display, and at least one input device;

presenting via the display of the EFT enabled kiosk an offer to open a credit card account;

receiving input from the user accepting said offer and receiving user identification information via the input device and/or card reader in response to accepting said offer;

opening a credit card account;

associating with the account an EFT card processable through EFT financial transaction terminals and EFT financial transaction networks by a variety of merchants;

associating a cash advance limit with the account commensurate with an account credit limit for gaming oriented transactions; and

making available a cash transaction to a patron in a casino within at least an hour of completing an account opening transaction when an account issuer is a merchant of the cash transaction.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising setting the cash advance limit based at least in part on a history of EFT gaming oriented transactions.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the cash transaction is made available within at least ten minutes of said opening of said credit card account.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising associating with the account a PIN.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising associating with the EFT card an indicia of patron selection.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising awarding rewards to an account owner based at least in part on EFT card account use for gaining and the indicia of patron selection.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the rewards comprise cash rewards.

17. A method for enhanced patron funding in a casino, comprising:

receiving a denial of a request for an EFT transaction by a patron in a casino from a third-party authorization server at an EFT enabled kiosk, the kiosk comprising a card reader, a display, and at least one input device, the request comprising reading account information from a card of the patron associated with a third-party account via the card reader; and

presenting an offer to the patron via the display of the kiosk to apply for a new line of credit, the new line of credit being useable within at least an hour of completing the application process in establishments where a line of credit issuer is a merchant in regard to the use.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising securing credit related information from the patron via the at least one input device.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising utilizing EFT gaming oriented transaction history in approving the new line of credit.