Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATED RESPONSIBLE GAMING
CONTROLS
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Related Applications
[001] This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S.
Provisional Application No. 60/699,021, filed July 14, 2005, titled "Automated
Responsible Gaming Controls," of Robert C. Angell, Edward J. Hole, and
Susan K. Kesel, incorporated in its entirety herein by reference.
Field
[002] This disclosure is directed to the field of responsible gaming,
and more particularly, to the field of providing automated control and
enforcement of responsible gaming.
Background
[003] Gaming provides exceptional benefits to societies, including
entertainment and social interaction. In many cases, gaming facilities, such
as casinos, contribute significant amounts of money to schools, hospitals, and
police in local communities. In some cases, these community contributions
are crucial to the local economies, especially in remote areas.
[004] In addition to the exceptional benefits of gaming, cashless
gaming in particular may provide benefits to players, operators, and
regulators. Traditional gaming is a cash intensive business. For example,
traditional slot machines require coins, which forces establishments having
slot machines to provide a great deal of security and accounting safeguards to
avoid theft and corruption. Players are also susceptible to the loss or theft
of
the coins. As an alternative to coins, some cashless gaming systems use
tokens, tickets, or magnetic cards. In such cashless systems, players may
insert a token, ticket, or card into a player terminal equipped with an input
device to play a game. However, these tokens, tickets, and cards may also
be susceptible to potential loss or theft, as well as potential fraud.
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[005] Gaming may present a number of social problems in societies,
such as fraud or theft, as well as under-age gaming and gaming addictions.
Accordingly, there is a need for more control over gaming in order to regulate
and monitor, for example, excessive gaming, gaming addictions, underage
gaming, fraud, and other irresponsible gaming behavior. Casinos and other
gaming facilities may achieve this control by, for example, registration of
players, player authentication, extensive and detailed processing of
transactions, including game play on a gaming machine or table, and a robust
account-based gaming function.
[006] As the level of security breaches and transaction fraud at
casinos increases, the need for highly secure identification and personal
verification technologies increases. Accordingly, there is a need for a robust
yet flexible process that is consistent with modern casinos and today's
players, and which provides a player, operator, and regulator a way to solve
unaddressed issues associated with gaming.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[007] Consistent with embodiments of the present invention, systems
and methods are disclosed for processing a gaming deposit. In one
embodiment, a deposit amount and an account identifier associated with a
player account are received, and the deposit amount is compared to a limit
associated with the player account. If the deposit amount is within the limit,
adding the deposit amount to the player account.
[008] Consistent with another embodiment of the present invention,
systems and methods are disclosed for authenticating a player at a gaming
facility. An account identifier is received from a player, wherein the account
identifier is associated with a player account. The player is authenticated
based on stored information associated with the account identifier. After the
player has been authenticated, a request for a gaming transaction is received
from the player, and it is determined if the requested gaming transaction is
within a pre-established gaming limit associated with the player account.
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[009] Consistent with other embodiments of the present invention,
systems and methods for automatically implementing gaming controls are
disclosed. A gaming constraint associated with a player is established, and a
request for a gaming transaction is received from the player. It is determined
whether the requested gaming transaction would violate the gaming constraint
associated with the player, and when it is determined that the requested
gaming transaction would not violate the gaming constraint associated with
the player, the requested gaming transaction is approved.
[010] Consistent with other embodiments of the present invention,
systems and methods for automatically implementing gaming controls are
disclosed. A gaming constraint is established and associated with a player
account. A player account identifier is received, and it is determined whether
a transaction associated with the player account identifier would violate the
gaming constraint associated with the player account. The transaction is
approved when it is determined that the requested transaction would not
violate the gaming constraint associated with the player account.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[011] FIG. IA is a diagram of an exemplary automated responsible
gaming control and enforcement system consistent with an embodiment of the
present invention;
[012] FIG. 1 B is a flow diagram of an exemplary process for
responsible gaming and control consistent with an embodiment of the present
invention;
[013] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of an exemplary process for
authenticating a player using a responsible gaming and control system
consistent with an embodiment of the present invention;
[014] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of an exemplary process for processing
a deposit in a responsible gaming and control system consistent with an
embodiment of the present invention; and
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[015] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of an exemplary process for cashing out
a player in a responsible gaming and control system consistent with an
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[016] With an automated responsible gaming control system, a
government or gaming facility may specify a variety of factors to control the
gaming practices of a player, a group of players, or all players. For example,
the state may wish to limit the amount of money spend on gaming by
recipients of state welfare assistance. The system may limit play based on,
for example: total money deposited, total money lost (e.g., the amount
withdrawn subtracted from the amount deposited), total games played, and
time played. For example, a player may be limited to two hours of gaming per
day. Activity may be cumulated by day, month, year, or any other specified
time period. For example, a player's gaming losses may be limited to $1,000
per month. The government may allow for certain exceptions under
procedural processes (for example, a presentation of evidence of specific
income levels may allow for higher levels of gaming). Other types of
constraints may also be implemented using systems and methods consistent
with the present invention. For example, gaming methods may be prohibited
during business hours or on certain holidays.
[017] In certain embodiments, players may establish their own upper
limits or fund their accounts with their desired "bankroll" in order to
moderate
their own limits and play. Constraints may also, in certain embodiments, be
extended across gaming facilities, such as casinos. For example, a unified
player database may prevent players from moving from casino to casino when
they reach limits associated with their player accounts (e.g., when they reach
two hours of gaming per day). The constraints may support any number of
slots in a casino, from a few hundred to multiple thousands, as well as any
number of table games or other types of games, e.g. Bingo or Keno.
[018] FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary automated responsible gaming
control and enforcement system 100. System 100 may include a Transaction
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Center 10, which may be connected to a Gaming Local Area Network (LAN)
12, a Gaming Wide Area Network (WAN) 14, and a Management LAN 22.
Gaming LAN 12 may be connected to a gaming machine 16, a kiosk 18, and
a table game 20. Management LAN 22 may be connected to a wireless
device 24, a cashier workstation 26, a customer registration station 28, a
management workstation 30, and a printer 32. Wireless device 24 may be, for
example, a mobile phone, portable computer, BlackberryTM, or other wireless
communication device. Gaming WAN 14 may also be connected to an
optional Alternative Transaction Center 50. Transaction Center 10's
connection to Gaming LAN 12 and Management LAN 22 may permit system
100 to centralize a player registration process, log gaming, registration,
deposit, and withdrawal transactions in Transaction Center 10, and enforce
and control gaming based on the information gathered from the devices (e.g.,
gaming machine 16 and table game 20) connected by Gaming LAN 12 to
Transaction Center 10.
[019] In one embodiment, multiple gaming locations may be managed,
and information gathered by Transaction Center 10 may be duplicated, by
connecting Transaction Center 10 to Alternative Transaction Center 50 via
Gaming WAN 14.
[020] A skilled artisan will recognize that system 100 may include any
number of devices, including kiosks 18, gaming machines 16, table games 20,
and other types of games, such as bingo (not shown). Further, many
alternative configurations of system 100 fall within the scope of this
invention.
For example, cashier workstation 26, customer registration station 28, and
management workstation 30 may be separate (as shown in FIG. 1) or may be
combined. In another example, the devices of FIG. IA may communicate via
the Internet or networks 12, 14, and 22 may be combined into a single
network.
Responsible Gaming.
[021] FIG. I B illustrates a flow diagram of an exemplary process 105
for responsible gaming and control consistent with an embodiment of the
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present invention. A clerk at customer registration station 28, for example,
may receive a player's information, such as age, name, address, personal
identification, and/or biometric information (step 110) to enable the player
to
register for a gaming account or gaming card. Customer registration station
28 or transaction center 10 may determine if the player is authorized to
register (step 130), for example based on the player's gaming history or a
database of prohibited gamers. An exemplary registration process is
described in greater detail below with respect to FIG. 2. If the player is not
authorized to play, he may be denied registration (step 120). If the player is
authorized to play, the clerk may issue the player an account identifier, such
as a gaming card or player number, to enable the player to access a player
account (step 140).
[022] Next, the player may attempt a transaction, such as, for
example, depositing funds into the player account, playing a game, cashing
out funds, etc. at any one of the devices in system 100. For example, a
player may attempt to play a game at gaming machine 16 using his player
card. Gaming machine 16 may access transaction center 10 via Gaming LAN
12, and may transmit the player account information and the player's
attempted transaction to transaction center 10. Transaction center 10 may
determine if the attempted transaction is authorized (step 150) based on, for
example, limits or rules associated with the player or the player account. If
the transaction (e.g., a deposit or a play at a game machine) is authorized,
transaction center 10 will allow the transaction (step 160). If the
transaction is
not authorized for any reason (e.g., because the player has reached a
maximum deposit amount associated with the player account), transaction
center 10 will deny the transaction (step 180). In an alternative embodiment,
any number of devices or stations, including customer registration station 28,
kiosks 18, gaming machines 16, table games 20, and other types of devices,
may determine if the transaction is authorized and allow or deny the
transaction.
[023] If the player attempts another transaction (step 170), such as a
deposit of funds to his account, for example, the authorization process may
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begin again (return to step 150). An exemplary process for processing a
deposit in a responsible gaming and control system is described in greater
detail below with respect to FIG. 3.
Registration
[024] FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram of an exemplary process 200 for
registering a player in a responsible gaming and control system consistent
with the present invention. Players may present identification and player
information at a customer service desk of a casino or gaming facility to
become a registered player. A customer service representative may receive
a player's identification, for example at customer registration station 28
(step
210). In certain embodiments, identification may include any identification
that the government has approved as valid for the registration process, and '
may be government issued identification, such as a passport, driver's iicense,
or other government identification card. In other embodiments, a player may
be identified by alternative means, such as biometric data. The customer
service representative may also receive player information, and may record
the player information (step 220). Player information may include, for
example, the player's name, address, telephone number, age, gaming history,
health issues, and other information. In one embodiment, the player
information, such as the player's name, may be checked against a database
of ineligible players. In another example, the player information may be
checked to determine whether the player is of legal gaming age. If an
ineligible player attempts to register, customer registration station 28 may
display a message, such as: "Denied. [Registrant Name] Not Currently
Eligible for Gaming Account."
[025] In one embodiment, customer registration station 28 includes an
image capture device to perform an image capture of the provided
identification or the player's actual image. Additionally, customer
registration
station 28 may include information capture devices to record player
information such as signatures, for example using Optical Character
Recognition (OCR) scanners, and may include bar code scanners and
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magnetic stripe readers to record, for example, the player's name and
address from a driver's license.
[026] Next, the player information may be authenticated (step 230) or
verified by the customer service representative. This authentication may
ensure, for example, that the player is of legal age, and that any other
government or casino-specified criteria are also met. For example, the
customer service representative of customer registration station 28 may check
public assistance databases, criminal record databases, delinquent child
support databases, outstanding credit databases, and other databases in real-
time by comparing player information to information in the databases. In one
embodiment, the authentication may be automatically performed by software
at customer registration station 28.
[027] If the player is not authenticated for any reason, in one
embodiment, the customer service representative deny issuance of a player
account or account identifier, and present the reason for the denial to the
player (step 240). In one embodiment, for example, the customer service
representative may give the player a printed rejection slip indicating that he
has been denied access to gaming at the casino, for example using printer
32. The rejection slip may explain the government or casino policy of its
criteria for a casino card or "gaming permit," in order to eliminate any
burden
on the customer service representative to explain the policy verbally. In this
manner, there are no subjective decisions, no misunderstandings, and no
ability for the customer service representative to make a mistake or to
deceive
the registration system.
[028] If the player is authenticated, the customer service
representative may issue an account identifier, such as a card, to the player,
to enable the player to access a player account (step 250). Regardless of the
results of the authentication process, the customer service representative
returns the player identification to the player (step 260). In one embodiment,
the entire registration process 200 may be completed in less than one minute,
including the issuing of an account identifier, such as a personalized card,
magnetic strip card, or smart card. A skilled artisan will appreciate that a
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player may receive a fob, player number, or other item instead of or in
addition
to the player card.
[029] In one embodiment, once the player receives the card, the
player may enter a Personal Identification Number (PIN) into a PIN pad at
customer registration station 28. PINs are typically 4 to 6 numbers long. The
PIN may be known only to the player and may be stored in an encrypted
format at customer registration station 28 or transaction center 10. In one
embodiment, players may be required to enter the PIN twice to ensure that
they correctly enter their intended numbers. The PIN pad used for PIN entry
may be equipped with a privacy cover, or a scrambled PIN pad may be used
to prevent the clerk or other players from observing the PIN setting.
[030] Alternatively or additionally, other types of personal
authentication, such as biometrics, may be used to identify or authenticate
the
player. Biometrics are automated methods of recognizing a person based on
a physiological or behavioral characteristic. Among the features that may be
measured are face, fingerprints, hand geometry, handwriting, iris, retinal,
vein,
voice, etc. These features may be stored at transaction center 10 and
associated with the player's account and/or card. In one embodiment,
customer registration station 28 may include a breathalyzer or other detection
device to check a player's alcohol or drug level. Gaming machines 16, table
games 20, and cashier workstation 26 may also be equipped with biometric
identification devices and/or detection devices, as discussed in more detail
below with respect to FIGs. 3-4, to authenticate players before, during, and
after game play.
[031] In one embodiment, players may not obtain multiple cards. If a-
player attempts to create a new account, the customer registration station 28
may deny the transaction and display a message, such as: "Denied.
[Registrant Name] Already Has a Gaming Account." Lost or stolen cards may
be de-activated in real-time, immediately stopping further use. Replacement
cards with new account numbers may be issued upon positive identification of
the player, according to registration process 200, discussed above.
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Depositing Funds
[032] FIG. 3 illustrates a flow diagram of an exemplary process for
receiving a player account deposit in a responsible gaming and control
system consistent with the present invention. Players may deposit money at
transaction center 10, gaming machine 16, kiosk 18, table game 20, wireless
device 24, cashier workstation 26, customer registration station 28, or other
area. In one embodiment, players may deposit money to a player account
from a bank account via wireless device 24, the Internet, or using the
telephone.
[033] Players may deposit money to their accounts at any time after
they have been issued an account. A cashier receives a player's account
identifier, such as a card, and funds (step 310). The cashier inserts the card
into a card reader at cashier workstation 26 (step 320), which may be known
in the art. When the cashier inserts the card into the reader, the account may
be verified to ensure that deposits are allowed on the account (step 330). In
one embodiment, the verification may be processed immediately (in real-
time). To verify the account, cashier workstation 26 or transaction center 10
checks to see if the account has exceeded any limits (e.g., limits established
for gaming.) For example, a player may have a deposit limit on his account
based on the total amount deposited. The deposit limit may be established,
for example, by the player, the player's family, the casino, government
regulations, or other rules. A clerk may set the deposit limit, or,
alternatively,
the player may set the deposit limit. In one embodiment, the limit may be
automatically set or changed at any time. More than one limit may be set for
each player. Additionally, a group of players may be designated to have the
same limit. For example, all players with a certain address, age, gaming
history, criminal history, alcohol level, or other biometric feature may be
designated with the same limit. The cashier may also authenticate that the
depositing individual matches the stored account data using biometric or
visual confirmation with stored data.
[034] If it is determined that the player's limit has been reached or
exceeded, the cashier will receive a notice (step 340). The cashier may, in
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one embodiment, view the notice on a terminal at cashier workstation 26. The
notice may, for example, indicate that all deposits are prohibited, or may
indicate that an account deposit limit has been reached or exceeded (e.g.,
"Denied. Gaming Account Currently Suspended," or "Deposit Denied.
Monthly Deposit Limit Reached.") In one embodiment, the cashier may print
an automatically generated statement indicating the government or casino
policy on deposit limits using printer 32. The cashier may notify the player
that the limit was reached or exceeded, or that the deposit is not valid (step
350), for example by presenting the player with the government statement, or
by orally notifying the player of the account limit or other policy violation.
In
certain embodiments, the cashier may notify a contact person identified with
the account, such as a spouse, that the limit was reached or exceeded.
Alternatively or additionally, the cashier workstation 26 may automatically
notify the contact person that the limit was reached or exceeded, for example
by sending an automatic e-mail, text message, voice mail, letter, or other
notice to the contact person.
[035] If the player's limit is not exceeded, the cashier may process the
deposit (step 360), for example by entering the amount of the deposit at
cashier workstation 26 and processing the deposit to add value to the player's
card and/or account, according to methods known in the art.
[036] In one embodiment, deposit process 300 may be accomplished
in under 30 seconds. Alternatively or additionally, printer 32 may print paper
receipts from deposit process 300 for the player, and the cashier, cashier
workstation 26, and transaction center 10 may save copies, for example for
auditing purposes. Players may be authenticated at machines or kiosks
using personal identification numbers (PINs) or biometrics, for example in an
unattended environment.
Depositing Funds at Gaming Machines
[037] As discussed above, players may also deposit funds into their
accounts at gaming machines 16, such as slot machines or kiosks 18. In one
embodiment, a player may insert his card into a card reader slot on a slot
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machine or kiosk. Until the card is inserted into the card reader and
verified,
the bill acceptor and coin acceptor may be disabled on the machine. In this
manner, unauthenticated players are unable to play at any machine. If the
player has exceeded any limits, such as government established limits for
gaming, the player will be denied the ability to deposit any funds into the
machine, or the ability to play any games. In one embodiment, if the player
exceeds any limits, an automatic notice may also be sent to the contact
person associated with the player's account. If the player is authenticated,
he
may then insert bills or coins into the appropriate acceptor on the slot
machine
to deposit funds to his player account.
[038] Alternatively or additionally, when a player attempts a deposit,
gaming machine 16 or kiosks 18 may automatically check the player account
balance. The player account balance may be presented on a display of
gaming machine 16 or kiosk 18 to the player prior to, during, and/or after the
deposit process. A player may check the balance associated with his account
at any time before, during, or after game play. In certain embodiments, if any
limits are reached or exceeded during deposit process 300, gaming machine
16 or kiosk 18 may deny the deposit and generate a notice, such as: "Deposit
Refused. Daily Deposit Limit Reached," or warn the player that a limit was
reached or exceeded. In one embodiment, gaming machine 16 or kiosk 18
may notify the player that a limit is approaching, for example to warn the
player without stopping the game play.
Depositing Funds at Table Games
[039] At table game 20, a player may present his card to a dealer or
croupier together with funds for a "buy-in." The dealer inserts the card into
a
card reader at table game 20, e.g., a poker table or blackjack table.
Transaction center 10 may immediately verify the player's account to ensure
that buy-ins are allowed on the account. If buy-ins are allowed on the
account, the dealer may enter the amount of the buy-in, for example on a
touch screen or small keypad at table game 20. The amount of the buy-in
may be recorded at transaction center 10, and the dealer may provide the
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player with a corresponding value in table chips.
[040] At any other gaming area (e.g., keno, bingo, sports book, etc.),
the player presents his card as he is placing a wager, and a clerk may
process the transaction in a manner similar to process 300, described above
with respect to FIG. 3. Kiosks 18, such as cash deposit kiosks, may also be
used for players to deposit funds directly on their accounts. Kiosks 18 may be
equipped with card readers, bill acceptors, and receipt printers, as well as
PIN
pads and biometric readers.
[041] Transaction center 10 may record and process all transactions
related to deposits in real-time. Additionally, the time, date, account, value
of
the cash transaction, terminal, cashier that processed the transaction, and
other data may be recorded, for example to provide an audit trail.
Playing
[042] After depositing funds into their account, players may play
games as they would at any tables, slot machines, and other wagering areas.
Game play may, however, be terminated at any time, for example if a player
reaches a predetermined limit associated with the player's account, such as a
loss limit, if play is only approved for certain time periods (e.g., 5 p.m.
through
p.m.), or if the play duration limit (e.g., 3 hours) has been exceeded.
Playing at Gaming Machines
[043] If a player chooses to play a game at gaming machine 16, such
as a slot machine, the player may insert the card into gaming machine 16. As
play proceeds, a credit meter at gaming machine 16 may change to reflect the
outcome of the games. In one embodiment, if the player reaches a limit (e.g.,
a daily loss limit, such as $500) during play, further play may be prohibited
and a dialog box message may display: "Sorry; No Further Play Permitted."
[044] Players may also deposit additional funds into a bill, coin, credit
card, or other fund acceptor of gaming machine 16. Funds deposited into the
fund acceptor of gaming machine 16 may appear on the credit display of the
slot machine, and deposit limits may be verified, as discussed above with
respect to FIG. 3.
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[045] When the player is done playing or wishes to move to another
gaming machine 16 or table game 20, he may remove his card from the card
reader. In other embodiments, the player may insert and remove his card
when he begins playing at the machine, and then insert and remove his card
again when he finishes. Any funds that were displayed on the credit meter at
gaming machine 16 may be available on the player's account, for example for
use at another gaming machine 16, table game 20, or for withdrawal at
cashier workstation 26. If the player moves to another gaming machine 16,
when he inserts the card in the card reader, gaming machine 16 may display
the value shown on the credit meter of the previous machine.
Playing at Table Games
[046] At table games 20, players may use chips to place bets, and
may receive chips for any win. Players may purchase chips with cash, for
example if they meet responsible gaming criteria, or they may purchase chips
with funds existing on their accounts (e.g., from previous deposits or
winnings). If allowed at the casino, players may move from table to table with
their chips, and may purchase additional chips (if allowed on their account
based on responsible gaming criteria, discussed above with respect to FIG.
3). When a player is done playing, he may gather up his remaining chips and
proceed to a cashier as he would in a conventional gaming system.
Playing Other Games
[047] At keno, bingo, sports books, and other gaming areas, players
may place wagers while presenting their cards. In one embodiment, players
may present their cards each time they place a wager, and may purchase the
wager with cash (and the transaction may be recorded). Alternatively or
additionally, players may purchase wagers using funds previously stored on
their account from previous deposits or winnings. Should the player place a
winning wager, he may present the card to cash the wager.
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Cashing Out
[048] Players may cash out at cashier workstation 26 or other cashier
cages located throughout a casino. FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram of an
exemplary process 400 for cashing out in a responsible gaming and control
system consistent with the present invention. In one embodiment, when a
player wisfies to cash out, he may present his card to a cashier. The cashier
receives the player card (step 410) and inserts it into a card reader (step
420).
Transaction center 10 may verify the account to ensure that it is valid (not
shown). In certain embodiments, transaction center 10 may verify the account
immediately (in real-time).
[049] The image capture that was performed during registration
process 200 may also be displayed to the cashier so the cashier may verify
that the player presenting the card is the proper holder of the card (step
430).
In one embodiment, the cashier may measure biometric information of the
player for authentication (step 440), such as face, fingerprints, hand
geometry, handwriting, iris, retinal, vein, voice, etc. Alternatively or
additionally, the player may enter a password or PIN into a PIN pad (such as
the pad used during registration process 200) for identification in step 440.
[050] Transaction center 10 may then check the measured biometric
information against the biometric information associated with the player
account, using, for example, biometric identification procedures known in the
art. If the biometric information matches (step 450, yes), the cashier may
precede to cash out the player (step 460), for example using cash out
methods known in the art. If the entered biometric information does not match
the biometric information associated with the player's account (step 450, no),
the cashier may not cash out the player and may instead restart process 400,
or may confiscate the card, destroy the card, call security, or take other
appropriate action.
[051] Utilizing the captured image display or biometric procedures
may prevent a "black market" in the selling of casino cards, because only the
player that was issued the card may utilize the card for cash outs. In certain
embodiments where it is impossible for anyone other than the player that was
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issued the card to remove money from the casino, there is no market for
people to get cards issued to them and sell them on a secondary market.
Cashing Out - Game Machines
[052] When a player completes play at a game machine, such as a
video poker machine, the player may proceed to a cashier workstation 26 with
his card to cash out and present the card to the cashier. The cashier inserts
the card in a card reader, verifies the image stored on the system (for
example, at transaction center 10) and measures player biometric information,
or requests a PIN or password from the player. After verification, the player
account is debited the amount of funds that are dispensed to the player. As in
other cases, cashiers may provide printed receipts, which may be signed by
the player for additional auditing functionality. In one embodiment,
electronic
signature capture devices may capture a player's signature on a cash out
receipt, for example for auditing or security purposes.
Cashing Out - Table Games
[053] When a table game player decides to leave a table game, he
may collect any remaining chips and proceed to cashier workstation 26. The
player may present the chips and card to the cashier. The cashier inserts the
card in the card reader, verifies the player image, requests that the player
enter biometric information, or a PIN or password, and exchanges the chips
for cash. Alternatively, the cashier may credit the player's account for the
value of the chips.
Cashing Out - Other Games
[054] For other games, including those that issue tickets (keno, sports
books, etc.), the player may present his card to cash any ticket, and the
winnings may be paid in cash or credited to the player's account.
Authentication process 400 may be used to verify the player's identity, as
described above.
[055] Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those
skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the
CA 02614999 2008-01-11
WO 2007/011617 PCT/US2006/027098
17
invention disclosed herein. For example, electronic funds transfer could be
used to facilitate the cash out processes described above. In another
example, biometric information may be collected at game machines or table
games to verify a player and determine whether a transaction is authorized.
In yet another example, a contact person may be notified automatically if a
person or group of people attempts to exceed a limit on deposits, withdrawals,
game plays, logins, or attempts to establish an account that would violate
established gaming parameters. It is intended that the specification and
embodiments be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of
the invention being indicated by the following claims.
