Gaming system and method providing third party promotions

• US 8,821,262 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2012
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Smith, Vincent P., Baerlocher, Anthony J., Dewaal, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel, Matthew D
• Application Number:
  US13/713,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20130102383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463 11- 13, 463 17- 19, 463/25, 463 26- 28, 463 30- 32, 463 40- 42
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

A gaming system and method disclosed herein enable players to earn promotional awards at gaming machines without sacrificing or surrendering player tracking points. The gaming system and method also provide value to players without the casino absorbing the cost of such value. The gaming system and method disclosed herein creates a new type of currency redeemable for a good or service (or a discount on a good or service) associated with a point-of-sale independent of the casino. In one form, the player tracking currency does not cost the casino or the player anything.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one server configured to communicate with at least one device, the at least one server and the at least one device configured to operate to;

(a) receive a monetary wager from a monetary balance of a player on each of one or more plays of a game;

(b) display the wagered-on plays of the game;

(c) display any monetary awards for the wagered-on plays of the game and add any monetary awards to the monetary balance;

(d) upon receiving a cash-out request, provide the monetary balance to the player;

(e) cause the player to be provided with player tracking points based on the placed monetary wagers, the player tracking points being in addition to any monetary awards;

(f) track at least one activity; and

(g) if the at least one tracked activity reaches a designated level;

(i) provide a designated amount of promotional currency to the player in addition to any player tracking points and any monetary awards, the designated amount of promotional currency having a redeemable value for part of a purchase of a good or service at a point-of-sale; and

(ii) display an advertisement associated with at least one of;

(A) the good or service, and (B) the point-of-sale.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one server and the at least one device are configured to operate to select the advertisement from a plurality of different advertisements based on at least one characteristic of the player.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the at least one characteristic is a player tracking rank of the player.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one server and the at least one device are configured to operate to select the designated level from a plurality of different designated levels based on at least one characteristic of the player.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the at least one characteristic is a player tracking rank of the player.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the redeemable value is less than a purchase cost of the good or service.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one tracked activity reaches the designated level when at least one of the group consisting of:

(i) an amount of one of the placed monetary wagers is a designated amount, (ii) a total amount of the placed monetary wagers reaches a designated total amount, (iii) a period of time elapsed from a start of a gaming session of the player reaches a designated period of time, and (iv) an outcome of one of the plays of the game is a designated outcome.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one server and the at least one device are configured to operate to:

(i) if the at least one tracked activity reaches a first designated level, provide a first designated amount of the promotional currency to the player; and

(ii) if the at least one tracked activity reaches a second different designated level, provide a second different designated amount of the promotional currency to the player.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, which includes a ticket printer, and wherein the at least one server, the at least one device, and the ticket printer are configured to operate to print a redeemable ticket including a representation of the designated amount of the promotional currency.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the server includes an internet server.

11. A method of operating a gaming system through a data network, said method comprising:

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to operate with at least one input device to receive a monetary wager from a monetary balance of a player on each of one or more plays of a game;

(b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with at least one display device to display the wagered-on plays of the game;

(c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display any monetary awards for the wagered-on plays of the game and add any monetary awards to the monetary balance;

(d) upon receiving a cash-out request, providing the monetary balance to the player;

(e) providing the player with player tracking points based on the placed monetary wagers, the player tracking points being in addition to any monetary awards;

(f) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to track at least one activity; and

(g) if the at least one tracked activity reaches a designated level;

(i) providing a designated amount of promotional currency to the player in addition to any player tracking points and any monetary awards, the designated amount of promotional currency having a redeemable value for part of a purchase of a good or service at a point-of-sale; and

(ii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display an advertisement associated with at least one of;

(A) the good or service, and (B) the point-of-sale.

12. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to select the advertisement from a plurality of different advertisements based on at least one characteristic of the player.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one characteristic is a player tracking rank of the player.

14. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to select the designated level from a plurality of different designated levels based on at least one characteristic of the player.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one characteristic is a player tracking rank of the player.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the redeemable value is less than a purchase cost of the good or service.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one tracked activity reaches the designated level when at least one of the group consisting of:

(i) an amount of one of the placed monetary wagers is a designated amount, (ii) a total amount of the placed monetary wagers reaches a designated total amount, (iii) a period of time elapsed from a start of a gaming session of the player reaches a designated period of time, and (iv) an outcome of one of the plays of the game is a designated outcome.

18. The method of claim 11, which includes:

(i) if the at least one tracked activity reaches a first designated level, providing a first designated amount of the promotional currency to the player; and

(ii) if the at least one tracked activity reaches a second different designated level, providing a second different designated amount of the promotional currency to the player.

19. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with a ticket printer to print a redeemable ticket including a representation of the designated amount of the promotional currency.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the data network is an internet.