Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
062994
~, 2 1 374 98
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Inven inn
The present invention relates Jenerally to a remote
gaming system, and more particularly, to a remote gaming system
by which a player can wager on a plurality of games of chance
io and/or future public events of which the outcome is uncertain,
offered by a casino, government lottery organization, or other
wagering establishment.
2. DeSCrlDtlOn Of thp prior art
In the past, a player wishing to wager on a game of
i5 chance such as those offered in a casino or on a public event
of which the outcome is uncertain such as sporting events, had
a limited number of options. In order to wager on casino games
such as roulette, blackjack, poker and the like, the player had
to physically travel to a gaming establishment specifically
Zo engaged in such activities or to a location where stand-alone
gambling devices such as video poker terminals or slot machines
were available. Although public events such as horse races may
be wagered on by telephone contact with an authorized
"off-track betting" gaming establishment or its agent, such
25 methods utilizing telephone contact have not been amenable to
typical casino games.
2~3~~~
As a result of advances in computer technology and
telecommunications, remote gaming systems have been devised in
which a player can participate in a plurality of games of
chance being offered by a gambling establishment without having
s to be physically located on the premises. An ezample is found
in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,339,798 and 4,467,424, both to Hedges et
al. The Hedges Patents disclose a remote gaming system wherein
a player proceeds to gamble against the casino at a remote
player station which includes a live game display to permit the
to player to engage in actual games of chance as they are being
played in real-time at a croupier station comprised of one or
more gaming tables in the casino. The player station includes
a changeable keyboard communicating with a microprocessor for
displaying a selected one of a plurality of wagering
15 possibilities corresponding to a selected one of the plurality
of games being played and for displaying the results of the
game being played. The player becomes part of the game as if
he or she were actually present at the gaming table in the
casino. To provide a secure communications link, the remote
2o gaming station communicates with the croupier station and a
credit control station through an encryption/decryption device
to prevent tampering by unauthorized sources.
While such a system provides a means by which a player
can gamble from a remote location, its primary disadvantage
2s resides in the fact that the player can gamble only by
participating in games being actually conducted in the gaming
establishment and monitored over real-time closed circuit
-2-
213798
video. Moreover, such a system has limited practicality since
the player can only gamble on a specialized gaming station
which must be electronically linked to the casino. It would
therefore be highly desirable to provide a remote gaming system
by which a player could engage in gambling on a gaming computer
at a remote location at the player's convenience where the
casino provides for the purchase and redemption of casino
credit, notwithstanding the absence of any direct electronic
communication link between the gaming computer and the casino.
io Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention
to provide a remote gaming system by which the player can wager
on any one of a plurality of games of chance typically offered
by a wagering establishment (e. g., a casino) at the player's
convenience.
It is another object of the present invention to
provide a remote gaming system by which the player can wager
against the wagering establishment on any one of a plurality of
wagering opportunities such as games of chance generated by
computer software on any personal computer.
2o It is a further object of the invention to
provide a
remote gaming system by which a player can wager against the
wagering establishment on a conventional multi-media apparatus
(e. g., a Nintendo apparatus coupled to a television set)
through compatible plug-in data storage media.
z5 It is yet another object of the invention to provide a
remote gaming system by which a player can purchase and redeem
wagering credit from remote locations without the need for an
-3-
213749$
electronic communications link to be established between the
player's gaming computer and the wagering establishment.
It is still another object of the invention to provide
a remote gaming system by which a player can wager on any one
s of a plurality of games of chance generated on a dedicated
gambling computer, including a hand-held portable device, which
can be provided to the player, yet need not be electronically
linked to the wagering establishment for purposes of gambling,
and/or purchasing and redeeming wagering credit.
1o It is yet another object of the invention to provide a
remote gaming system wherein encryption and decryption of codes
transferred between a remote gaming computer and the wagering
establishment, either on-line (including wireless electronic
communication hardware) or off-line (orally with an agent or
i5 electronic communications over the telephone, but where no
connection is necessary between the gaming computer and the
wagering establishment), prevents unauthorized users from
gaining access to or fraudulently obtaining or redeeming
wagering credit.
2o It is still another object of the invention to provide
a remote gaming system by which a player receives a tamper-proof
read/write device from the wagering establishment containing
data storage media for dedicated gaming software which can be
linked to any personal computer, yet prevents unauthorized
2s manipulation of the software.
-4-
It is still another object of the invention to provide
a remote gaming system in which the gaming and/or banking
software is embodied in a computer disk where the unique
magnetic signature of that disk is readable by the disk drive
in the gaming computer for encryption to make detectable
unauthorized duplication of the disk.
It is still another object of the invention to provide
a remote gaming system by which a player can wager on future
public events of which the outcome is uncertain such as a
1o lottery, either through an on-line connection between a gaming
computer and the gambling establishment, or off-line where the
player's wager is time-stamped to generate an encrypted
registration code, representing the player's choice of wagering
elements (i.e., numbers) for a given lottery event (occurring
is at some time in the future), which code is known only to the
lottery authority.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a
remote gaming system by which a player can obtain and redeem
wagering credit from the wagering establishment embodied in
2o tamper-proof physical data memory media which interface with a
remote gaming computer.
It is still another object of the invention to provide
a remote gaming system by which a completely self-contained
dedicated gambling personal digital assistant may be obtained
2s with a preprogrammed and predetermined amount of non-renewable
credit.
-5-
21~74~~
It is a further object of the invention to provide a
remote gaming system by which a player can engage in a game of
skill (e. g., a crossword puzzle) made available on a dedicated
gambling personal digital assistant having a preprogrammed and
predetermined amount of non-renewable credit.
It is still another object of the invention to provide
a remote gaming system in which a premium application enables a
player who purchases a product such as a computer, or software
on data storage media, to win something as determined by the
io output of a gaming program embedded within such product.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a
remote gaming system by which a player wagering at a remote
location is subject to predetermined limitations on winnings by
a wagering establishment.
SUN~IARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the above objects and other objects
which will become apparent hereinafter, the present invention
provides a remote gaming system which enables a player to
gamble against a wagering establishment using a gaming computer
2o at a remote location. The gaming computer may or may not be
electronically linked (i.e., "on-line") to a wagering
establishment computer while gambling takes place. The gaming
computer can be any personal computer, hand-held computer
device (e. g., a personal digital assistant), or multi-media
-6-
2I3'~~9~
apparatus which functions as the gaming computer (e.g., a
nintendo or like apparatus) and may or may not be a dedicated
gambling computer provided by the wagering establishment. If
provided by the wagering establishment, the gaming computer is
pre-loaded with gaming software. If the gaming computer is a
conventional personal computer, the gaming software is either
pre-installed on a secure data storage media device (e.g., a
hard disk, CD-ROM, etc.) or module provided by the wagering
establishment or installed directly on the computer by the
1o player.
The gaming software includes a game program and a
banking program. The game program generates a plurality of
games of chance typically offered by the wagering establishment
(e.g., blackjack, roulette, craps, poker, slots, etc.), or
makes available wagering on future public events of which the
outcome is uncertain (e. g., a lottery). The banking program
provides for the purchase or loading of credit, from the
wagering establishment to enable gambling and increments or
decrements the player's account balance to enable the player to
2o cash-out any gambling winnings. The gaming software may also
include an audit program which records the outcome of each
wager and transactions between the player and the wagering
establishment as entered into and output from the gaming
computer to purchase and redeem credit.
~ ~.~~ 498
The wagering establishment computer includes a banking
program which enables the player to purchase and redeem
wagering credit at the remote location, even if no on-line
communications are established with the gaming computer and an
audit program for recording such transactions. This may be
accomplished through a plurality of encrypted code exchanges
which take place between the player and the casino, either by
oral communications between the player and an agent of the
casino, or by communications between the player and an
io automated answering service at the casino (i.e., using a
touch-tone phone), or by providing credit "built-in" or
pre-installed on a tamper-proof module for installation on a
conventional personal computer, or pre-installed on a dedicated
gaming computer provided by the wagering establishment. In the
i5 off-line embodiment, the automated "agent" is associated with
the wagering establishment computer but there is no direct
electronic connection between the gaming computer and the
wagering establishment computer. Encryption provides a means
by which such exchanges are made secure to prevent a third
zo party from gaining unauthorized access or fraudulently
obtaining or redeeming such credit.
If the gaming computer is networked to the wagering
establishment computer, the connection may or may not serve to
regulate or control the gaming software simulation of casino
z5 games on the gaming computer. For example, the connection may
-8-
~~~~~~g
serve to have the wagering establishment computer keep a record
of all or selected activities taking place at the gaming
computer for purposes of additional verification or security.
Alternatively, the connection may be of a controlled nature to
vary the odds of a given wager based upon any of a variety of
factors such as gambling duration or a progressively increasing
jackpot (e.g., in a slot machine simulation). In such an
on-line embodiment, security and player verification can be
obtained by utilizing a stand-alone encryption device such as
1o commonly employed in wireless money transfers. This device
generates an encrypted verification code based upon the user's
personal identification code and a second code provided to the
user by the casino o,r stored in the stand-alone encryption
device to prevent an unauthorized user from obtaining on-line
15 access upon having stolen a user's personal identification code.
At all times, each wager by the player generates an
encrypted electronic audit-trail on the gaming computer and/or
on any networked computers by recording the amount of each
wager, the outcome of each gambling event and any resulting
2o gambling earnings or losses. The financial resolution of each
wager is cumulatively tracked by the software on the gaming
computer and perhaps also on any networked computers and the
player is able to constantly monitor his casino credit balance.
_g_
~~.3'~4~8
A player gambles in substantially the same way he or
she does in a casino. The player chooses which games to play
as presented by the gaming software, the amount of each wager
and the length of time each game is played. The player may
remain active over several different gaming sessions which may
take place at several different times and/or places. The
player may at any time place wagers which are for practice only
which do not affect the player's wagering credit balance. As
an option, the player's wagering credit balance may be
1o transferred and stored on data storage media which can be
installed on other computers where software has been or can be
installed to recognize the player's wagering credits and credit
balance. The player may then continue to wager on any of such
other computers. At any time the player wishes to cash-out his
i5 or her wagering credits or winnings, they can be redeemed from
the wagering establishment by contacting the wagering
establishment either by telephone in an off-line embodiment, or
by direct electronic communication in an on-line embodiment.
In one embodiment described above, a series of encrypted codes
2o are then exchanged with the wagering establishment, either by
telephone or transmitted electronically. In the off-line
embodiment, these codes are generated by the gaming computer
software and the casino computer software to verify the
player's identity prior to cashing-out gambling winners. In
25 the on-line embodiment, a stand-alone encryption device
-10-
CA 02137498 1999-09-14
generates an encrypted log-on or confirmation code for
verification. Alternatively, where the gaming computer itself
(e. g., a personal. digital assistant) is provided to the player
by the wagering establishment, it or a tamper-proof plug-in
module may be physically returned to the wagering establishment
for credit redemption. Such credits can be redeemed from the
wagering establishment in any of a variety of forms of payment
including but not limited to cash, bank-wire transfers, credits
or some other form of payment mutually agreed to by the player
and the wagering establishment.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention
there is provided a method of providing credit value to a
gaming device, comprising: transmitting a financial account
identifier and a credit request on a numeric keyboard of a
telephone to a computer remote from the gaming device;
receiving an encoded credit value code corresponding to the
credit request from the remote computer, the encoded credit
value code representing a monetary value; inputting the encoded
credit value code to the gaming device; and executing a
computer game program in the gaming device to generate at least
one game outcome .and a corresponding monetary value.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present
invention there is provided a method of receiving credit value
on a gaming device to enable game play, comprising: receiving
from a user an encoded credit value code corresponding to a
monetary value; decoding the encoded credit value code to
- 11 -
CA 02137498 1999-09-14
reveal the monetary value; determining a current credit balance
based on the monetary value; and executing a computer game
program to generate at least one game outcome with a
corresponding monetary value.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention
there is provided a gaming device, comprising: means for
receiving from a user an encoded credit value code
corresponding to a monetary value; means for decoding the
encoded credit value code to reveal the monetary value; means
for determining a current credit balance based on the monetary
value; and means for executing a computer game program to
generate at least one game outcome with a corresponding
monetary value.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present
invention there is provided a method of using a computer to
manage credit value for a gaming device remote from the
computer, compri:~ing: receiving from a user a financial
account identifier and a credit request, the credit request
corresponding to a monetary value; verifying availability of
monetary funds associated with the financial account identifier
to fulfill the credit request; generating an encoded credit
value code corresponding to the credit request; and
transmitting the encoded credit value code to the user for use
with the gaming device.
In accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention
there is provided a computer device for managing credit value
- 11A -
CA 02137498 1999-09-14
for a gaming device remote from the computer device,
comprising: means for receiving from a user a financial
account identifier and a credit request, the credit request
corresponding to a monetary value; means for verifying
availability of monetary funds associated with the financial
account identifier to fulfill the credit request; means for
generating an encoded credit value code corresponding to the
credit request; and means for transmitting the encoded credit
value code to the user for use with the gaming device.
~$IRF DR~("'RTPTTC~TvT pF TH DRAWTNr''~
FIG. lA is a schematic view of the remove gaming system in
a first off-line .embodiment;
FIG 1B is a schematic view of the remote gaming system in
a second off-line embodiment;
FIG. 1C is a schematic view of the remote gaming system in
a third off-line embodiment;
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the remote gaming system in
an on-line embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a gaming computer connected
to a tamper-proof read/write data storage media device provided
by the casino;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the start-up and registration
sequence in the off-line embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the handshake recognition
sequence in the off-line embodiment;
- 11B -
213?~98
FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the purchase credit sequence
in the off-line embodiment;
FIG. 7A is a flowchart of the wagering sequence for
games of chance generated by the game program in the off-line
s embodiment;
FIG. 7B-1-2 is a flowchart of the wagering sequence
for an off-line non-registered lottery system embodiment;
FIG. 7C-1-5 is a flowchart of the wagering sequence in
an off-line registered lottery system embodiment;
io FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the credit cash-out sequence
in the off-line embodiment;
FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the registration and start-up
sequence in the on-line embodiment;
FIG. 10 is the purchase credit sequence in the on-line
15 embodiment;
FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the wagering sequence in the
on-line embodiment;
FIG. 12 is a flowchart of the credit cash-out sequence
in the on-line embodiment;
2o FIG. 13 is a schematic of a memory chip made secure by
an ezternal tamper-proof structure;
FIG. 14 is a schematic of a first means for verifying
the integrity of the gaming software;
FIG. 15A is a schematic of a second means for
25 verifying the integrity of the gaming software;
-12-
2~~7~98
FIG. 15B is a schematic of a third means for verifying
the integrity of the gaming software;
FIG. 15C is a schematic of a fourth means for
verifying the integrity of the gaming software; and
FIG. 15D is a schematic of a fifth means for verifying
the integrity of the gaming software.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference to the several views of the drawings,
there is depicted a remote gaming system generally characterized
1o by the reference numeral 10 in which a player 12 with access to
a computer 14 ("the gaming computer") wagers on a plurality of
games of chance or on future public events where the outcome of
such events is uncertain, offered by a casino, government
lottery organization or other wagering establishment 16. For
is convenience, these will be generally referred to herein as "the
wagering establishment".
Referring now to FIG. lA, player 12 has access to
gaming computer 14 having a video display 18 and a
keyboard 20. Gaming computer 14 can be a personal home
2o computer, lap-top, or hand-held personal digital assistant
device which may or may not be a dedicated gaming apparatus
provided by wagering establishment 16 or a multi-media
apparatus (e.g., a nintendo or similar device for use with a
television or the like). Gaming computer 14 can be located
25 either off-site at a remote location, at wagering establishment
-13-
213~~9~
16 or some other establishment (e. g., a lottery ticket
vendor). A gaming computer 14 located at the wagering
establishment 16 can still be classified as "remote" for the
purpose of the disclosure and claims herein. It is anticipated
that a casino could provide players, in for example, the hotel
where the casino is located, with a dedicated gaming computer
14 which could be used to gamble within and outside of the
physical boundaries of the casino. A primary advantage of
providing player 12 with a wagering establishment-furnished
io gaming computer 14 is greater security, specifically with
regard to making unauthorized access to the data storage media
such as a computer disk drive or module more difficult.
Moreover, in a dedicated gaming computer, the keyboard 20 can
be customized with specialized function keys identifying
i5 commands (e. g., keys dedicated to blackjack might have indicia
stating "hit me", "stand", "purchase insurance", etc.) which
the player selects to proceed to gamble on the various games of
chance being offered by the wagering establishment 16. Gaming
computer 14 operates special gaming software 22 comprised of a
2o game program 24, a banking program 26 and optionally, an audit
program 27. Gaming software 22 can be pre-installed on a
dedicated gaming computer 14 provided by the wagering
establishment 16, pre-installed in a tamper-proof read/write
data storage media device 28 provided by wagering establishment
25 16 which interfaces with a personal computer functioning as the
-14-
213'~~~8
gaming computer 14 as shown in FIG. 3, or installed directly on
the personal computer by the player. Furthermore, the gaming
software 22 may be made available on a tamper-proof plug-in
data storage media module for use with a conventional
multi-media apparatus which functions as the gaming computer
14, to be described in more detail hereinbelow.
It is critical that the wagering establishment 16 be
able to determine if the software itself or data thereon was
copied, tampered with or in any way altered, otherwise a player
io could make a plurality of copies and keep playing with
identical disks until such time that one of the copied disks
was a winner, or the player could alter the software itself in
an attempt to control the outcome, the winnings or losses, or a
combination thereof, i.e., a dishonest player 12 modifies the
software code of the gaming software 22 in such a way as to
make the software generate a winning outcome more frequently
than chance would dictate (e. g., in a roulette simultation,
causing the roulette wheel to land on a more favorable number
more frequently). This could be achieved by replacing the
2o software in its entirety or by modifying certain code lines of
the program, either physically or by some other externally
applied influence such as high-intensity electromagnetic
radiation (e. g., an RF field). Of course, the most secure
system is an on-line arrangement where the gaming software 22
resides in a gaming computer 30 on the premises of the wagering
-15-
establishment (FIG. 2). The most difficult security issues
with regard to tampering arise in embodiments where the
wagering establishment provides the player 12 with software for
use on a remotely disposed gaming computer 14 or with a
dedicated gaming computer 14 itself (e.a.. a PDA)_ Tr, +-h;~
connection, a variety of means for ensuring security may be
provided.
In one application, software directing the gaming
computer through the disk drive to read the unique magnetic
1o signature of the specific disk on which gaming software 22 is
made available for installation, and encrypt the same for
decryption by the wagering establishment can reveal
unauthorized duplication of data on that disk. Alternatively,
a plug-in device can interface with the disk drive to read a
portion of the disk to acquire the unique magnetic signature of
the disk. This encrypted data can be registered with or
required by the wagering establishment 16 prior to cashing out.
In another embodiment as shown schematically in FIG.
13, the gaming software 22 resides on a chip 23 disposed within
2o the gaming computer 14 (i.e., where a dedicated device is
provided by the wagering establishment 16). The chip 23 could
be situated within a physical casing 84 which is isolated and
unaccessible from any external data port connection. In an
exemplary embodiment, the chip 23 can be housed within special
seals, insulation, wrapping, or the like 86 to reveal any
-16-
2137-98
authorized attempts to remove or tamper with the chip 23.
Thus, the wagering establishment 16 can readily ascertain if
the player tampered with the gaming software and, if such
tampering is discovered, it could deny such player any claimed
winnings and/or future credit.
In yet another embodiment shown schematically in FIG.
14, unique mathematical attributes are derived from certain
characteristics of the software code in a self-test process.
To perform such a test, the characteristics of the code are
io kept secret and known only to the wagering establishment 16
(e.g., a check-digit type algorithm based upon the sum of the
bits located in, for example, lines 476 through 655 of the
code). Alternatively, the self-test can verify special codes
which are embedded within the code instructions in some
i5 predetermined random manner known only to the wagering
establishment 16.
In a variation of the above as shown schematically in
FIG. 15A, external keys known only to the wagering
establishment 16 can be applied to intermittently or
2o continuously verify whether the software code has been or is
being tampered with by causing altered software to malfunction
and shut down the gaming application in the computer 14. This
can be implemented in several ways, including, but not limited
to: (1) broadcasting a continuous encoded or encrypted
25 external signal (e.g., RF) from the wagering establishment 16,
-17-
~1~7498
received by receiving means 88 in the gaming computer where
such signals are subsequently decoded or decrypted by the
gaming computer 14 and input to the gaming software 22 (FIG.
15B); (2) having the player 12 'physically enter a code on an
intermittent basis (FIG. 15C); or (3) utilizing an internally
generated clock signal provided by a tamper-proof clock 89
(FIG. 15D). In this connection, the chip 23 or even the gaming
computer 14 (if provided by the wagering establishment 16) may
be shielded from electromagnetic interference to prevent
1o unauthorized attempts to influence the gaming software with
electromagnetic radiation. The use of external keys may or may
not employ encryption to safeguard against their being somehow
forged by the player 12.
Aside from the use of external keys, the gaming
software 22 can be made to require the acquisition of data from
an external source in order to function. For example, a
wireless broadcast or like stream of random numbers (possibly
encrypted) might be accessed by the gaming software 22 such
that these random numbers are called upon by the program as a
2o basis to select a wagering outcome in a predictable or unpre-
dictable manner. Such external input may be incorporated into
a tamper-proof plug-in device or module which interfaces with
the gaming computer 14.
-18-
213798
Another way to prevent fraudulent attempts to
alteration of the gaming software 22 is the use of an audit
program 27 which can only be accessed by the wagering
establishment 16. To prevent a'forged audit trail, the audit
program 37 might, by way of example, create dozens or even
hundreds of data strings (e. g., such as in a roulette
simulation, data strings corresponding to spins of the roulette
wheel each time the wheel is spun) where all such data is then
recorded for future verification should the wagering
1o establishment 16 suspect tampering with the gaming software 22.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art
that the gaming software 22 can be arranged such that a
data-string of alphanumeric codes, either pre-loaded into each
gaming computer 14, provided on a disk or alternatively
furnished on a plug-in uncopyable module, can be used to
discover any tampering with the software. disk or module by the
player 12. In this connection, the code sequence can be made
different for each gaming computer 14 or module and copies of
such codes can be kept by the wagering establishment 16. These
2o codes can provide the basis for randomness in the outcome of
each gaming event, and can thereby provide evidence of
tampering. In other words, a specific arrangement of codes
might correspond to a certain outcome of a wagering event
(e. g., the Roulette wheel lands on "5"). Even though these
2s codes are known to the wagering establishment 16, they are
-19-
21~~~98
sequenced to ensure a random outcome - something which could be
verified by an independent third party. If a player 12 seeks
to modify the gaming software, the altered software codes could
be discovered upon comparison of the same with the originals
known only to the wagering establishment 16.
As another means of preventing player fraud, an
element of "double-randomness" can be implemented by requiring
the player 12 to press a button for each selection or desired
response on the gaming computer 14 twice, with the time
to interval between selections (i.e., in milliseconds) used to
address a specific preprogrammed random outcome codified in
corresponding software codes.
Game program 24 permits player 12 to wager on any one
of a plurality of wagering opportunities, including games of
is chance, future public events where the outcome is uncertain or
games of skill (e. g., a crossword puzzle). The games of chance
are created on gaming computer 14 by game program 24 in
accordance with conventional techniques and include, but are
not limited to, common casino wagering activities such as
2o blackjack, craps, roulette, poker, slots or the like. Each
game offers opportunities for player 12 to place wagers on one
or more various wagering elements within a given wagering event
depending upon the rules applicable to that game. This will be
described in more detail below.
-20-
21~'~~98
Game program 24 can be made to accept wagers on future
public events where the outcome of such events are uncertain as
in, for example, sporting events such as a football game or a
boxing match, or a state-run or other lottery. This can be
implemented by establishing communications orally or
electronically with the wagering establishment 16 in order to
place, register and confirm bets. The wager is placed on the
gaming computer 14, which produces a code for registration with
the wagering establishment 16. This code is then time stamped
to by the wagering establishment 16 to form an encrypted code
using appropriate software instructions to lock in the bet or
fix the time of the wager for the purpose of ascertaining the
proper payoff. This implementation will be described in detail
below. Similarly, games of skill such as a crossword puzzle
can be implemented where a date/time stamp fixes the time of
completion such that prizes are later awarded based upon the
first player to complete the game.
Banking program 26 enables player 12 to wager with
available credit, and "cash-out" in order to redeem any
2o gambling winnings. In certain embodiments, the banking program
26 facilitates the purchase of credit from the wagering
establishment 16 where such credit is "loaded" into the gaming
computer in the form of codes. Alternatively, as shown in
FIG. 1C the banking program can receive instructions from an
electronic card reader 91 compatible with credit or debit cards
93 in a conventional manner, or the banking program can receive
credit from a plug-in credit module 90.
-21-
21~~~9~
As one way of ensuring security in the credit
purchase/redemption procedure, banking program 26 or a
dedicated encryption/decryption device provides, for ezample,
an encryption and decryption algorithm 29 of the type known in
the art (e. g., utilizing a public-key) to encrypt and decrypt
certain alphanumeric codes exchanged between player 12 and
casino 16 which are input to and generated by playing computer
14 and the wagering establishment computer 30. These codes are
exchanged between player 12 and an agent of the wagering
1o establishment 38 through telephone 40. The term "agent" is
intended to include an automated telephone or like system which
generates computerized instructions for communication to player
12 by means of a touch-tone telephone 36 to prompt player 12 to
communicate responses to the wagering establishment 16 by
pressing the appropriate numbers or symbols. Such generated
instructions can be provided by the wagering establishment
computer 30 over the telephone in accordance with well-known
techniques.
The wagering establishment computer 30 has gaming
2o software 33 which includes a banking program 35 and audit
program 37. The computer 30 either includes or communicates
with a dedicated device or software for implementing an
encryption and decryption algorithm 39 known only to the
wagering establishment 16 to encrypt and decrypt these codes.
In this manner, the wagering establishment 16 enables a
-22-
~~3~ X98
verified player 12 to purchase and redeem wagering credit at
the remote location. The sequence of steps to purchase and
redeem such credits by exchanging encrypted codes are described
in greater detail below.
In the usual course of practicing the invention,
FIG. 4 depicts a flowchart of the start-up and registration
sequence in an off-line embodiment which must occur prior to
wagering. Player 12 first registers various personal
information with wagering establishment 16 and obtains an
io alphanumeric personal identification code 32. The wagering
establishment 16 provides player 12 with gaming software 22
comprised of game program 24 and banking program 26 as
described above, accompanied by an alphanumeric software
identification code 34. Gaming software 22 may be
i5 independently tested, verified and provided on data storage
media in a sealed envelope by a third party. Such data storage
media can include a hard disk, floppy disk, CD-ROM and the
like. The wagering establishment 16 then provides an
alphanumeric start-up identification code 33 which player 12
zo enters to actuate the gaming software 22. Optionally, the
gaming computer 14 may include voice recognition means such as
a voice chip or voice recognition software for recognizing the
unique characteristics of the player's voice to deny access to
any unauthorized user. Such hardware and/or software is known
z5 in the art. Gaming software 22 is programmed to prompt player
-23-
2~.'~749~
12 with an inquiry as to whether the current session is for
practice or to place a wager. If it is a practice session,
game program 24 generates a plurality of game choices and a
confirmation that the games are being played for practice
only. If player 12 chooses to engage in gambling, banking
program 26 will permit actual wagering to the extent that there
are sufficient wagering credits available in the player's
account. If there are insufficient credits, player 12 must
contact the wagering establishment 16 and go through the
to purchase credit sequence described below. As noted above,
gaming computer 14 may or may not be on-line with the wagering
establishment computer 30. If gaming computer 14 is off-line,
greater flexibility in terms of being able to engage in
gambling at virtually any location is possible. In an
exemplary embodiment, a series of encrypted communication
exchanges of, for example, alphanumeric codes, between player
12 and the agent 38 permit credit purchase and redemption at a
remote location to be governed by the wagering establishment 16
notwithstanding the absence of an electronic link between the
2o gaming computer 14 and the wagering establishment computer 30.
Alternatively, gaming computer 14 can be networked to the
wagering establishment computer 30 through the communications
link 29 such that computer 30 monitors and controls all or part
of the activities taking place on the remote gaming computer.
-24-
?13'~~98
In the off-line embodiment shown in FIG. 1, player 12
places a call to the wagering establishment 16 by way of
telephone 36 and communicates with agent 38 through telephone
40 to obtain or redeem gambling credit. If player 12 already
has credit, gaming software 22 will permit wagering on any of
the games of chance provided by game program 24 upon receiving
player 12's personal identification code 32. If player 12
requires credit to play, the wagering establishment 16 must be
contacted and the following series of steps are followed for
1o the purpose of verifying the player's identity and confirming
that the player is utilizing gaming software 22 registered to
his or her personal identification code 32.
Whenever player 12 contacts the wagering establishment
16, he or she goes through what is referred to as a handshake
recognition sequence, the verification of the player's identity
with the wagering establishment. In this regard, as depicted
in the flowchart of FIG. 5, player 12 first calls the wagering
establishment 16 on telephone 36 and agent 38 who communicates
through telephone 40, queries player 12 for his or her unique
2o personal identification code 32 and software identification
code 34. Agent 38 enters these codes into the computer 30
which generates an encrypted handshake code 42 which is
provided to player 12 for entry into gaming computer 14.
Gaming computer 14 decrypts handshake code 42 and then
generates an encrypted recognition response code 44 which is
-25-
2~.3749~
then provided to the wagering establishment 16. Agent 38
enters recognition response code 44 into computer 30 which
decrypts recognition response code 44 to verify player 12's
identity and confirm that the specific gaming software 22
registered to player 12 is in use. Verified player 12 then
proceeds with appropriate casino interaction.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart depicting a first embodiment of
a purchase credit sequence in the off-line embodiment. Player
12 first contacts the wagering establishment 16 and establishes
io his or her identification through the handshake sequence
depicted in FIG. 5 and described above. Agent 38 obtains an
encrypted banking program activation code 46 from computer 30
and provides the same to player 12 for the purpose of allowing
player 12 to access the credit purchasing/redemption function
of banking program 26 in gaming computer 14. Player 12 then
enters the amount of wagering credit requested. For security
purposes, banking program 26 utilizes personal identification
code 32 and software identification code 34 along with an
encryption algorithm to generate a credit request code 48,
2o which code embodies the numeric value of the amount of credit
requested and is unique to player 12 and his or her gaming
software 22. Credit request code 48 is displayed to player 12
on gaming computer 14, who then provides credit request code 48
to agent 38 for entry into the wagering establishment computer
30. The computer 30 applies a decryption key known only to the
-26-
2137998
wagering establishment 16 to decrypt the credit request code 48
to reveal the amount of credit requested by player 12. Agent
38 orally confirms this amount with player 12. The wagering
establishment 16 then decides whether or not to provide all or
part of the credit requested. If the credit request is denied,
player 12 is given an encrypted reactivation code 50 which is
decrypted by gaming computer 14 to enable player 12 to continue
wagering with any available credit balance (or player 12 has
the option to cash-out any gambling winnings in accordance with
1o the sequence depicted in FIG. 8 and described below). If the
credit request is partially or fully granted, the process
continues for the amount of wagering credit the wagering
establishment 16 is willing to sell to player 12. The computer
30 generates an encrypted new credit code 52 which is provided
to player 12 for the purposes of loading a pending amount of
credit requested into the player's gaming computer 14 via the
banking program 26 of the gambling software 22. Player 12 then
enters new credit code 52 into gaming computer 14 which
decrypts the code and reveals the exact amount of new credit
2o being added to player 12's available credit balance. The
amount of new credits are shown to player 12 as pending, but
are not yet available for use. Banking program 26 then
generates an encrypted credit pending code 54 which is based in
part on the monetary value of the new credits pending. Player
zs 12 provides this credit pending code 54 to agent 38 who enters
-27-
213749$
the same into the wagering establishment computer 30, which
then decrypts the credit pending code 54 to positively and
irrefutably verify that the specific amount of credit requested
was loaded into player 12's banking program 26. The wagering
establishment computer 30 then generates an encrypted credit
release code 56. This credit release code 56 is provided to
player 12 who then enters it into gaming computer 14. The
amount of pending credits are then released for use by player
12. The banking program 26 then generates an encrypted credit
io release verification code 58 which player 12 provides to agent
38. Agent 38 enters the credit release verification code 58
into computer 30 which decrypts the same and generates an
encrypted program reactivation code 60. Player 12 receives the
program reactivation code 60 and then enters the same into
gaming computer 14 and gaming program 24 is reactivated for
use. Simultaneously, the wagering establishment 16 charges
player 12 for the value of credits purchased in a manner
mutually agreed upon by the player and the casino. For
example, a credit card may be charged, a bank transfer
2o authorized, or some other form of payment or delayed payment
may be made to the casino in exchange for the credits
purchased. If at any point during this process one or more of
the various encrypted codes do not match those expected by the
casino encryption software, the player would be unable to
access such credits. The gaming software 22 in such cases is
-28-
21 ~7~98
disabled until the dispute is resolved. In this manner, the
correct generation of each of the various codes by gaming
computer 14 and casino computer 30 serves to positively confirm
the amount and value of credits received by player 12 and that
such credits were released and made available for player 12's
use.
It will be appreciated that credit can also be
provided to the player 12 in predetermined amounts,
pre-installed on a dedicated gaming computer 14 (e.g., a
1o personal digital assistant) provided by the wagering
establishment 16. Alternatively, a player 12 could obtain a
disk or module 90 having a given amount of authorized credit
which is then "loaded" into the banking program gaming computer
14 to enable wagering until such time that this credit amount
15 is exhausted. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 1C and mentioned
above can obtain credit by merely using his or her own credit
card 93, either through communications with agent 38 or an
electronic card-reader apparatus 91 connected to the issuing
bank 95 as is well known in the art.
zo After player 12 has obtained wagering credit, he or
she may place wagers by selecting wagering elements within
various wagering events in any one of a plurality of games of
chance offered by gaming software 22. Each game provides
opportunities for player 12 to place wagers on one or more
25 various wagering elements within a given wagering event
-29-
~13'~4ga
depending upon the rules applicable to that game. As an
ezample, the casino game of roulette involves a series of
wagering events based upon the outcome of a random number
selected by a ball spun within a roulette wheel. Each spin of
the wheel is a single wagering event. Within that event, the
player 12 may bet on many different wagering elements such as
red and black colors, single numbers, groups of numbers and the
like. All wagers for each event are placed prior to the spin
of the wheel.
io FIG. 7A is a flowchart depicting the wagering sequence
for games of chance created by game program 24 which proceeds
as follows. Player 12 first enters game program 24 of gaming
software 22 and chooses a particular game on which to wager.
Player 12 can wager on one or more events within the game as
i5 described above. Game program 24 prompts player 12 to confirm
the placement of wagers made and the total amounts of wagers
entered. Such wagers may be withdrawn or modified until such
time as they are confirmed. Confirmation is typically made by
having player 12 enter a confirmation code 62 prior to closing
20 of all bets. Confirmation code 62 is provided by game program
24 and can be made different for every wager for security
reasons. It can be a simple one or two digit alphanumeric code
which is entered into game software 24 to confirm that each bet
placed for any wagering event is what was intended and has not
zs been placed in error. Game program 24 can be set up such that
-30-
~1'3'~ 49~
confirmation code 62 may be simplified further to a single key
stroke in certain highly repetitive games such as slots or when
the total value of all wagers falls below a certain
predetermined level. After confirmation code 62 is entered by
player 12, game program 24, in accordance with the rules of a
given casino game, generates a specific outcome for a given
wagerable event (e. g., cards are dealt. the wheel is spun,
etc.). Game program 24 determines the outcome of each wager
placed (win, lose or draw), calculates and then displays player
1o 12's proposed correct payoff for that wager on gaming computer
14. Player 12 has the option to type in a yes/no code to
accept the payoff outcome of all wagers or to dispute any
payoff which player 12 believes is incorrect in some fashion.
Any dispute can be handled by suspending the wagering process
and calling agent 38 to resolve the matter by telephone or by
some other means of dispute resolution. Once player 12 accepts
the resolution of a given wagering event, the correct amount of
credit is added or subtracted from player 12's wagering credit
balance by banking program 26 of gaming software 22. Player 12
2o can then begin the wagering process all over again on a
subsequent wagering event, or choose to end the gambling
session. At any time, player 12 may select a review mode in
game program 24 and review the amount and resolution of each
and every wager made by player 12 and the results of such
z5 wagers in chronological order. At any time, player 12 can
-31-
choose to redeem or cash-out all or part of the balance of
wagering credits stored in banking program 26 through a credit
cash-out sequence. Game program 24 can also contain special
built-in instructions to place limitations on winnings at the
discretion of the wagering establishment. It is also
anticipated that such gaming software 22 could be embedded in
another product, such as in a computer or other software, to
provide a premium application which enables the purchaser of
unrelated products to win something as governed by such an
to embedded program (e. g., a cash prize awarded).
FIGS. 7B-7C are flowcharts of wagering sequences for
future public events of which the outcome is uncertain, such as
a lottery, in the off-line embodiment. With regard to the
description of lotteries herein, the wagering establishment
i5 will be hereinafter identified as a "lottery authority". The
player 12 selects, by means of the gaming software 22, a
particular lottery event (i.e., a drawing) on which to wager.
The gaming computer 14 then generates a lottery "ticket" layout
unique to the specific lottery and the player selects the
Zo desired wagering elements (i.e., numbers).
There are two types of exemplary lotteries described
herein, the first being an instant type analogous to common
scratch-off tickets, and the second being a future event of
which the outcome is uncertain (i.e., a drawing takes place).
25 In the case of instant lotteries, verification of the date/time
-32-
213 49~
of the wager is not important by definition since the
essentially instantaneous output of the program determines the
outcome. On the other hand, with future events, the date and
time of the wager is critical in certain embodiments. It will
be appreciated by the persons skilled in the art that a remote
gaming arrangement whereby the player 12 participates in a
lottery can be classified as either: (1) a non-registration
system (by which the player wagers independently of the lottery
authority 16 and the wager need not be registered with the
lottery authority since the gaming computer 14 provides a means
of time-stamping the wager) or (2) a registration system (by
which the player 12 chooses the wagering elements on the remote
gaming computer 14, but then must contact the lottery authority
16 to "register" the wager).
i5 In a non-registration embodiment such as depicted in
FIG. 7B, a wager is placed in the following manner: Player 12
logs on to the lottery application in the gaming computer 14
with his or her personal identification code 204, which is
preassigned by the lottery authority 16 with whom the player 12
2o has preregistered. In this regard, an encryption/decryption
device 82, depicted in FIG. 2 and described in more detail
below, can be used to prevent minors from accessing the lottery
program. Such device could utilize fingerprint or voice
recognition hardware for additional verification. Player 12
2s then selects a specific lottery to play (e. g., Lotto). Player
-33-
2~.~'~ ~9~
12 then chooses the desired wagering elements 206 in a
conventional manner, which choice may be confirmed upon the
player receiving a suitable prompt. The gaming computer 14
then generates an encrypted, compressed multi-digit ticket code
208 representing the selected wagering elements 206, and an
unforgeable date/time stamp 210. Optionally, such ticket code
208 may include a personal identification code 204 or software
identification code 212. The ticket code 208 is stored in the
gaming computer 14 and can be decrypted only by the lottery
io authority 16 for authentication. If desired, a physical
"ticket" representing the player's choice in the encrypted
ticket code could be printed by conventional printing means
associated with the gaming computer 14. This procedure may be
repeated as many times as necessary to participate in multiple
lottery events or to chose wagering elements for a single
event. Such an arrangement allows wagering to take place
independent from the lottery authority 16. The unforgeable
date/time stamp ensures that the player 12 cannot tamper with
the wager "after the fact" (i.e., after the drawing, the player
2o cannot modify the numbers selected). To cash-out, the player
12 provides the encrypted ticket code 208 to the lottery
authority 16 which decrypts the ticket code to reveal the
selected wagering elements and date/time of the wager.
Winnings are then awarded in a conventional manner. It is
anticipated that large winnings will require that the Player 12
return the physical device to the lottery authority 16 for
verification.
-34-
23749$
FIG. 7C depicts a registration sequence whereby the
player 12 registers his or her lottery choices) with the
lottery authority 16. When player 12 is ready to do so, the
lottery authority 16 is contacted through agent 38. The player
12 then enters his or her pin 204, either by pressing
corresponding keys of the telephone, or on the gaming computer
14 (if these are placed on-line in either a temporary or
permanent connection), or by speaking the selections through
the telephone for acquisition by a voice recognition program of
1o the type known in the art. For additional verification, player
12 can be asked to enter the computer or software
identification code 212. The lottery authority 16 will request
that the player 12 choose from a menu of lotteries which are
still open for wagering, and the player then makes the desired
i5 selection(s). The player 12 then indicates the method of
payment. In certain applications, credit can be pre-installed
on the gaming computer 14 or module 90, as described above, in
which case such credit can be included and represented in an
encrypted ticket code 208. Normally, ticket-code 208 need not
2o be encrypted in a registration embodiment (i.e., it merely
represents the choice of wagering elements). If the ticket
code is encrypted, it is then decrypted with a key known only
to the lottery authority 16. This ensures and verifies that a
valid lottery selection and sufficient credit were entered.
25 The lottery authority 16 may confirm the transaction by reading
-35-
21:~'~ ~ ~ ~
back the wagering elements embodied in the code. After the
lottery authority 16 accepts the ticket code 208, it generates
a registration code 218 (encrypted or non-encrypted) which
embodies the ticket code 208 and a current date/time stamp
220. The registration code 218 can be provided to the player
12 and is stored by the lottery authority 16 in the lottery
authority computer 30 for future reference. The 7nttP,-
authority 16 can then prompt the player to confirm the wager by
entering a simple yes/no response. If desired, the lottery
io authority 16 can impose a limit on the number of wagers per
player or per given time period and reject wagers exceeding set
amounts. Optionally, the player 12 may obtain printed ticket
receipts which include the registration code 218 from the
gaming computer 14. The wagering process may be repeated for
i5 each "ticket" registered. When he or she is finished, the
player 12 simply hangs up or terminates the connection with the
lottery authority 16. After the lottery drawing or process,
the lottery authority 16 compares any winning numbers against
all registered tickets in accordance with conventional
2o practice. If the prize is below a specific threshold (e. g.,
$100), then such prize can be credited to the player's account
or credit card, or, if above a certain threshold, payouts can
be made in a conventional manner.
-36-
In general, there are several ways by which the player
12 can cash-out winnings when such winnings are embodied or
stored in the gaming computer 14. FIG. 8A is a flowchart
diagram of the credit cash-out sequence in a first off-line
embodiment. Player 12 first goes through the handshake
sequence depicted in FIG. 5 and described above. Once player
12's identity is confirmed, the wagering establishment 16
provides player 12 with an encrypted banking activation code
64. Player 12 then activates banking program 26 and enters
1o banking activation code 64 which is decrypted by gaming
computer 14 to access the banking purchasing/redemption
function. Player 12 then enters the amount of wagering credit
he or she wants to cash-out into banking program 26. The
amount to be cashed out is placed by banking program 26 into a
i5 cash out pending field. The player's banking program 26 then
generates an encrypted credit cash-out code 66 which player 12
provides to wagering establishment 16. The agent 38 enters the
credit cash-out code 66 into the wagering establishment
computer 30 which decrypts the credit cash-out code 66 to
2o reveal the amount of credit that player 12 is requesting to be
cashed out, which amount is orally confirmed by casino agent
38. The wagering establishment computer 30 then generates an
encrypted cash-out acknowledgment code 68 and provides this
code to the player 12. Player 12 enters a cash-out
25 acknowledgment code 68 into gaming computer 14 which decrypts
-37-
~13'~4c38
the same. and banking program 26 then deducts the amount of
credits to be cashed out of the player's credit balance
available for future wagers. Banking program 26 then generates
an encrypted deduction verification code 70 which indicates
that the correct amount was deducted from the player's
account. This code is then provided to agent 38 who enters it
into computer 30. The wagering establishment computer 30
decrypts deduction verification code 70 and generates an
encrypted program reactivation code 72 which is provided to
1o player 12 to enable game program 24 to permit continued
gambling with any available credits. The wagering
establishment 16 then issues payment to player 12 for the
amount of all wagering credit cashed out. The payment may be
in the form of a credit to the player's credit card, a banking
i5 wire or some other mutually agreed-upon method of payment. It
is also contemplated that where the player 12 has been provided
with a dedicated gaming computer 14 (e. g., a hand-held device)
credit may be cashed-out by simply bringing such gaming
computer 14 to the wagering establishment 16 or its agent,
2o where either the entire device itself is physically returned or
a plug-in credit module 90 (tamper-proof, as described above)
is exchanged.
FIGS. 9-12 contain flowcharts of an on-line embodiment
schematically depicted in FIG. 2, whereby gaming computer 14
25 communicates directly through a communications link 29, such as
-38-
2 ~.3'~ ~9 g
a modem, with the wagering establishment computer 30. Computer
30 includes gaming software 74 comprised of a game program 76,
banking program 77, audit program 78 and encryption/decryption
algorithm 79. To prevent unauthorized access, an
encryption/decryption device 82, such as that shown
schematically in FIG. 2, is used by player 12 to generate a
unique alphanumeric identification code 83 to log-on to
computer 30 in order to obtain access to on-line gambling
and/or purchasing and redeeming wagering credit. In one
1o embodiment, device 82 looks like a credit-card calculator and
includes a display 84, an integral keyboard 86 and internal
encryption/decryption hardware and/or software. Such a device
is currently used for making wireless money transfers, for
example by Fleet Bank. Codes input and output to and from
i5 device 82 could be embodied in specific sounds identified
through a dedicated sound recognition program which are
transmitted to and received from computer 30. The
encryption/decryption device 82 is used to generate encrypted
log-on code 83 by encrypting player 12's personal
zo identification code 32 with a separate verification code 88
provided to player 12 by computer 30. Alternatively,
verification code 88 can be built into encryption/decryption
device 82. Thus, knowledge of player 12's personal
identification code 32 in and of itself is insufficient to
2s enable an unauthorized third party such as a minor or known
-39-
~ 1~'~ 49 ~
compulsive gambler to obtain access to gambling and/or
purchasing and redeeming wagering credit. The computer 30
could contain appropriate instructions to, in such a case,
terminate the on-line connection and prevent further attempts
to gain access with that particular personal identification
code 32. Moreover, the device 82 can have the banking program
26 associated therewith in order to store wagering credit
independent of the gaming computer 14, in which case the
exchange of codes between the device 82 and the gaming computer
io 14 would represent the actual "money". Thus, credit can be
embodied in an apparatus structurally independent of the gaming
computer.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the registration and start-up
sequence. Initially, player 12 through gaming computer 14,
i5 dials up and connects through communications link 29 with
computer 30. Player 12 then enters the requested registration
information and is assigned a personal identification code 32.
Player 12 then logs-on as described above. If player 12's
identity is confirmed, computer 30 then permits wagering and/or
2o credit purchase and redemption.
As shown in FIG. 10, the purchase credit sequence in
the on-line embodiment is comprised of the following series of
exchanges between player 12 and computer 30. Computer 30 first
queries the'player as to how much credit is desired for the
25 particular gambling session. Player 12 responds at the prompt
-40-
21'~'~~98
with the amount of wagering credit requested. The wagering
establishment 16 then gets authorization for the requested
amount through agreed upon methods of credit such as a credit
card or the like. The approved credit amount is then deposited
into player 12's wagering credit account in banking program
77. At such stage, player 12 can then wager on a plurality of
games offered by the wagering establishment 16. In this
connection, player 12 may at the end of each session, request
an encrypted code number that verifies the amount of credit he
to or she has available from the wagering establishment 16 at that
time for purposes of any future dispute resolution.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the gambling sequence in the
on-line embodiment. Player 12 first activates gaming computer
14, establishes electronic communications with the wagering
15 establishment computer 30 through communications link 29, and
proceeds with the secure log-on procedure described above.
Gaming computer 14 then registers a gambling session code 80
with the wagering establishment 16. The computer 30 then
displays a choice of games of chance or future public events
zo where the outcome is uncertain to be wagered upon.
FIG. 12 is a flowchart of the credit cash-out sequence
in the on-line embodiment. Player 12 first requests to
cash-out all or part of the credit balance in the wagering
credit account maintained on casino computer 30. The wagering
25 establishment 16 requests confirmation for the amount of credit
-41-
~~~'~~~8
to be cashed-out by player 12. Player 12 then keys in his or
her personal identification code 32 to reconfirm that amount.
The amount is then deducted from player 12's credit account and
the wagering establishment 16 then authorizes a credit to be
made to the player's preassigned credit card, or makes some
other agreed-upon method of payment. For additional
verification, the encryption/decryption device 82 can be used
to provide a verification code to the wagering establishment 16
prior to cashing-out. Moreover, the Wagering establishment 16
io can be provided with a special telephone number to call-back
player 12 to confirm the cash-out which can only then occur
when player 12 calls the wagering establishment 16 back from
that number, to provide an additional measure of security.
Alternatively, in another on-line embodiment, the
gaming computer 14 includes gaming software 22 as in the first
embodiment of FIG. 1, but the wagering establishment computer
30, through communications line 29 may or may not serve to
regulate or control the gaming software simulation of casino
games on gaming computer 14. For example, the wagering
2p establishment computer 30 can directly keep a record of all or
selected activates taking place at gaming computer 14 for
purposes of additional verification or security.
Alternatively, the electronic link can be of a control nature
to vary the odds of a given wager based upon any of a variety
of factors such as gambling duration or other factors such as a
progressively increasing jackpot (e. g., in a slot machine
simulation).
-42-
2137~9~
In the off-line embodiment, at all times, an encrypted
audit-trail of all transactions can be recorded on storage
media associated with the wagering establishment computer 30,
and independently in gaming computer 14 to be ultimately
downloaded to or accessed by the wagering establishment 16.
Such an audit-trail can also be recorded in the tamper-proof
read/write data storage media device 28 provided by the
wagering establishment 16 to player 12 the wagering
establishment in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3.
to The present invention has been shown and described in
what are considered to be the most practical and preferred
embodiments. It is anticipated, however, that departures may
be made therefrom and that obvious modifications will occur to
persons skilled in the art.
-43-
