ESCROW ACCOUNTS FOR USE IN DISTRIBUTING PAYOUTS WITH MINIMAL INTERRUPTION TO GAME PLAY

• US 20120122555A1
• Filed: 11/11/2010
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Schneider, Richard Jay, Mikulich, Thomas O.
• Granted Patent: US 8,753,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users

Abstract

A gaming machine includes configured to communicate with a remote server, and further configured to detect a reportable event during play of a game by a player, wherein the reportable event is associated with a winning outcome having an associated award amount. The processor also receives an acknowledgement of the reportable event from the player, and transmits the acknowledgement of the reportable event and the award amount to the remote server for use in generating a taxable accrual log.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising a processor configured to communicate with a remote server, said processor further configured to:

detect a reportable event during play of a game by a player, wherein the reportable event is associated with a winning outcome having an associated award amount;

receive an acknowledgement of the reportable event from the player; and

transmit the acknowledgement of the reportable event and the award amount to the remote server for use in generating a taxable accrual log.

2. A gaming machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to prompt the player to enable electronic generation of the taxable accrual log or to request manual generation of the taxable accrual log.

3. A gaming machine in accordance with claim 2, wherein said processor is further configured to:

receive an input from the player that enables electronic generation of the taxable accrual log; and

prompt the player to acknowledge the reportable event.

4. A gaming machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to prompt the player to enter a personal identification number for use as an electronic signature that certifies the reportable event within the taxable accrual log.

5. A gaming machine in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a display device coupled to said processor, said processor further configured to cause said display device to display a first portion of the award amount via a first credit meter of the gaming machine as cashable credits, wherein the first portion of the award amount is less than a threshold amount defined by the reportable event.

6. A gaming machine in accordance with claim 5, wherein said processor is further configured to display a second portion of the award amount via the credit meter as non-cashable credits.

7. A gaming machine in accordance with claim 5, wherein said processor is further configured to reconfigure a paytable of the gaming machine to redefine the threshold amount.

8. A method comprising:

detecting a winning outcome during play of a game by a player at a gaming machine;

determining whether the winning outcome is a reportable event based on an award amount associated with the winning outcome;

receiving an acknowledgement from the player of the reportable event; and

transmitting the amount won to a remote server for use in electronically generating a taxable accrual log.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8, further comprising receiving consent from the player to electronically generate the taxable accrual log.

10. A method in accordance with claim 8, further comprising prompting the player to enable electronic generation of the taxable accrual log or to request manual generation of the taxable accrual log.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, further comprising:

receiving an input from the player that enables electronic generation of the taxable accrual log; and

prompting the player to acknowledge the reportable event.

12. A method in accordance with claim 8, further comprising prompting the player to enter a personal identification number for use as an electronic signature that certifies the reportable event within the taxable accrual log.

13. A method in accordance with claim 8, further comprising transferring a first portion of the award amount to a credit meter of the gaming machine as cashable credits, wherein the first portion of the award amount is less than a threshold amount defined by the reportable event.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, further comprising transferring a second portion of the award amount to the credit meter as non-cashable credits.

15. A method in accordance with claim 13, further comprising reconfiguring a paytable of the gaming machine to redefine the threshold amount.

16. A gaming system comprising:

a gaming machine configured to enable play of a game by a player; and

a server coupled to said gaming machine via a network, said server configured to;

detect a winning outcome during play of the game;

determine whether the winning outcome is a reportable event;

receive a payment method selection by the player from said gaming machine, wherein the payment method selection is one of an electronic payment option and a manual payment option; and

when the payment method selection is the electronic payment option, record a first portion of an award amount of the winning outcome in a player account associated with the player, and record a second portion of the award amount in the player account, wherein the first portion includes cashable credits that are worth less than a threshold amount that defines the reportable event and the second portion includes non-cashable credits.

17. A gaming system in accordance with claim 16, wherein server is further configured to cause said gaming machine to display a prompt to the player to enable electronic generation of the taxable accrual log or to request manual generation of the taxable accrual log.

18. A gaming system in accordance with claim 16, wherein said server is further configured to:

receive an input from the player that enables electronic generation of a taxable accrual log that includes data relating to the reportable event; and

cause said gaming machine to display a prompt to the player to acknowledge the reportable event.

19. A gaming system in accordance with claim 18, wherein said server is further configured to cause said gaming machine to display a prompt to the player to enter a personal identification number for use as an electronic signature that certifies the reportable event within the taxable accrual log.

20. A gaming system in accordance with claim 18, further comprising a memory area coupled to said server, wherein said server is further configured to record an acknowledgement of the reportable event by the player and the award amount in said memory area.

21. A gaming system in accordance with claim 16, wherein the threshold amount is defined by a paytable, said server is further configured to reconfigure the paytable to determine a number of cashable credits in the first portion of the award amount and a number of non-cashable credits in the second portion of the award amount.