Method and apparatus for facilitating monetary and reward transactions and accounting in a gaming environment

Abstract

One or more methods and apparatus for facilitating financial and player tracking/reward transactions. In one embodiment, a system includes at least one server and a plurality of gaming machines and/or a game generator for transmitting game information to a remote game play location. The server has a memory containing data files corresponding to players. The data files contain information such as credits or monies in an account which belong to the player or which may be used by the player to play games. The data files also contain player tracking information, such as points awarded to a player based upon their game play. In one embodiment, players are issued media in the form of player cards having identification information thereon. The identification information is used to access the player's account or files, such as at a gaming machine. A player and a casino may manage the player's accounts, such as by placing criteria upon the account, including the use of associated credits. A player may play a game using credits associated with their account. A player may also manage their accounts, including viewing financial and game play or reward information and transfer funds into and out of an account.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A financial and reward system for a casino comprising: 
 a plurality of gaming terminals, each gaming terminal including a player identification input device;    a financial transaction host, said financial transaction host in communication with each of said plurality of gaming terminals via a communication network, said financial transaction host including memory for storing data files corresponding to players and identifiable with said player identification, said data files including information regarding finances available for use by said player in playing one or more of said plurality of gaming terminals;    a player reward host, said player reward host in communication with each of said plurality of gaming terminals and said financial transaction host, said player reward host including a memory for storing data files corresponding to players and identifiable with said player identification, said data files including player reward information; and    at least one communications gateway permitting a player to access one or more data files corresponding to said player at said financial transaction host using said player's player identification.    
     
     
         2 . The financial and reward system in accordance with  claim 1  including a plurality of access media, each access media associated with a player and having player identification information stored thereon.  
     
     
         3 . The financial and reward system in accordance with  claim 2  wherein said player identification input device comprises a card reader and said plurality of access media comprise cards having a magnetic stripe.  
     
     
         4 . The financial and reward system in accordance with  claim 1  including means for associating points with a player's data file at said player reward host based upon said player's play of one or more of said gaming machines.  
     
     
         5 . The financial and reward system in accordance with  claim 1  including means for crediting finances to a player's data file at said financial transaction host for finds deposited to said casino by said player.  
     
     
         6 . The financial and reward system in accordance with  claim 1  including means for permitting a player to associate criteria regarding use of said finances indicated available in said player's file at said financial transaction host.  
     
     
         7 . A method of facilitating financial and reward transactions in a gaming system including a plurality of gaming devices associated with a server comprising the steps of: 
 generating a first financial account corresponding to a player, said account represented by at least one data file, said at least one data file containing information regarding available finances for playing one or more of said gaming devices and said at least one data file containing game play information regarding one or more gaming devices played by said player;    issuing to said player a player card having identification information thereon;    reading said identification information at a gaming device elected to be played by a player;    accessing said at least one data file containing information regarding available finances and said at last one data file containing game play information with said identification information;    modifying said available finance data at said at least one data file based upon amounts bet and amounts won by said player while playing said gaming device; and    storing game play information at said at least one data file containing game play information.    
     
     
         8 . The method in accordance with  claim 7  wherein said at least one data file includes personal identification code information, including the step of accepting a player personal identification code and wherein said accessing step includes the step of verifying said personal identification code accepted from a player with that stored in said at least one data file.  
     
     
         9 . The method in accordance with  claim 7  wherein said available finance information comprises a credit amount.  
     
     
         10 . The method in accordance with  claim 9  wherein said modifying step comprises increasing said credit amount if said player is a winner of a game played at said gaming device.  
     
     
         11 . The method in accordance with  claim 7  including the steps of assigning criteria regarding the use of finances represented by said financial information.  
     
     
         12 . The method in accordance with  claim 7  wherein said game play information includes a number of points rewarded to said player and including the step of converting one or more of said points to a credit amount and modifying said financial information to reflect said credit amount.  
     
     
         13 . The method in accordance with  claim 7  including the step of receiving player input to access said at least one data file.  
     
     
         14 . The method in accordance with  claim 13  including the step of associating credits represented by said financial information with a second financial account in accordance with input from said player.  
     
     
         15 . The method in accordance with  claim 7  including the step of generating financial information regarding a credit paid by said player and storing said financial information at said at least one data file.  
     
     
         16 . The method in accordance with  claim 15  wherein said credit is represented by financial data transmitted from a remote bank.  
     
     
         17 . A method of facilitating financial and reward transactions from a remote station to a gaming system including a server and at least one gaming machine coupled to the server, the server including at least one data file containing player information comprising the steps of: 
 accepting input from a player transmitted from said remote station to said server, said input including identification information;    obtaining player information from said at least one data file associated with said identification information;    transmitting player information from said server to said remote station; and    modifying credit information stored at said at least one data file based upon input by said player.    
     
     
         18 . The method in accordance with  claim 17  wherein said step of modifying credit information comprises decreasing a number of credits indicated as allowable to said player.  
     
     
         19 . The method in accordance with  claim 17  wherein said player information transmitted to said remote station includes information regarding a number of points awarded to said player and a number of credits available to said player.  
     
     
         20 . A financial accounting system for a casino comprising: 
 a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device including a player identification input device; and    a financial transaction server, said financial transaction server in communication with each of said plurality of gaming devices via a communication network, said financial transaction server including memory for storing at least one data files correspond to a player and identifiable with said player identification, said at least one data files including information regarding a first account, said first account having one or more credits associated therewith representing one or more deposits by a player, said first account comprising a debit account from which credits may be deducted for use in playing one or more of said gaming devices, and a second account, said second having one or more credits associated therewith comprising winnings received by said player while playing one or more of said gaming machines.    
     
     
         21 . The financial accounting system in accordance with  claim 19  including means for deducting credits associated with said first account when said player plays one or more of said gaming devices.  
     
     
         22 . A gaming system for a casino comprising: 
 a game server adapted to generate game play information;    a financial transaction host, said financial transaction host in communication with said game server, said financial transaction host including memory for storing data files corresponding to players and identifiable with said player identification, said data files including information regarding finances available for use by said player in playing a game using information generated by said game server; and    at least one communications gateway, said financial transaction host and game server in communication with said gateway, said gateway permitting game information generated by said game server to be transmitted to a remote location for presenting a game to a player and for receiving said player's player identification for use by said financial transaction host in verifying financial entitlement of said player to play said game.    
     
     
         23 . The gaming system in accordance with  claim 22  including a player reward host, said player reward host in communication with said game server and said financial transaction host, said player reward host including a memory for storing data files corresponding to players and identifiable with said player identification, said data files including player reward information.