Methods and apparatus for facilitating game play and generating an authenticatable audit-trail

Abstract

A remote gaming system whereby a player can gamble against a wagering establishment or state-run lottery from a remote location on a personal computer or portable computer device where it is unnecessary to establish an on-line connection with a host computer associated with the wagering establishment, the gaming computer having associated gaming software for providing at least one wagering opportunity and enabling the player to obtain gambling credit and cash-out any resulting winnings, the host computer enabling the player to purchase and redeem gambling credit at the remote location in one embodiment of the invention using cryptographic protocols such as through a series of authenticatable message exchanges between the player and the wagering establishment, the gaming computer and the host computer directly on-line, or the gaming computer having a detachable tamper-resistant or tamper-evident credit module associated therewith or for use with a personal computer being provided to the player with preinstalled or preloaded gambling credit, the gaming system also enabling participation in future events of which the outcome is uncertain such as, for example, a lottery whereby the player makes selections on a gaming computer at a remote location.

1 - 39 . (canceled)  
   
   
       40 . A gaming system comprising: 
 at least one game computer including associated memory, means for receiving manual input, and processing means for executing at least one program from said associated memory, said at least one program including a game program, said processing means executing said game program to enable a player to play at least one game of chance on said game computer to the extent of available gambling credit in said associated memory, said gambling credit being loaded into said game computer by a central host computer using a challenge/response protocol, said game computer further having authentication means operatively associated therewith for generating authenticatable messages, at least one of said processing means, said authentication means and said associated memory being disposed within a secure enclosure,    said at least one program of said game computer further including an audit program for recording purchasing of gambling credit, redemption of gambling credit, and a respective outcome of each play by the player of the at least one game of chance; and    said central host computer for authorizing game play on the at least one game computer in the form of gambling credit and providing for verification of winnings after game play, said central host computer having associated memory, processing means for executing at least one program from said central host computer associated memory, and central host computer authentication means operatively associated therewith for generating, receiving, and authenticating authenticatable messages, said authenticatable messages being transmitted between said game computer and said central host computer to verify the integrity and winnings in the form of gambling credit stored in said at least one game computer associated memory, said central host computer loading and verifying authenticatable game data by communicating data through at least one direct electronic connection, said game computer manually receiving input data using said means for receiving manual input to enable said central host computer to authorize game play on said game computer,    said authenticatable game data comprising an authenticatable audit trail of activities at said gaming computer.    
   
   
       41 . A gaming system comprising: 
 a first computer comprising: 
 a first processor;  
 at least one device in communication with the first processor for receiving player input; and  
 a first data storage medium in communication with the first processor, the first data storage medium storing first software, 
 in which the first software is operable to direct the first processor to perform steps of: 
 monitoring an amount of credit available for wagering by a player for a game of chance;  
 determining at least one wager by the player for the game of chance, each at least one wager being associated with a respective wager amount;  
 determining a respective outcome for each at least one wager;  
 determining a respective financial resolution for each at least one wager;  
 for each at least one wager by the player: 
 in response to the wager, generating a respective authenticatable message including an indication of the respective wager amount, the respective outcome, and the respective financial resolution; and  
 transmitting the at least one authenticatable message to a second computer in communication with the first computer;  
 and  
 
 
 
   the second computer comprising: 
 a second processor; and  
 a second data storage medium in communication with the second processor, the second data storage medium storing second software, 
 in which the second software is operable to direct the second processor to perform steps of: 
 receiving the at least one authenticatable message from the first computer;  
 authenticating the at least one authenticatable message; and  
 storing the at least one authenticatable message.  
 
 
   
   
   
       42 . A method comprising: 
 for each wager on a gambling event made by a player via a gaming computer: 
 determining a respective amount of the wager on the gambling event;  
 determining, by the game computer, a respective outcome of the gambling event;  
 determining, by the game computer, a respective financial resolution of the wager;  
 generating, by the game computer, an authenticatable message including an indication of the amount of the wager, an indication of the outcome, and an indication of the financial resolution; and  
 storing the authenticatable message at the gaming computer.  
   
   
   
       43 . A method comprising: 
 for each wager on a gambling event made by a player via a gaming computer: 
 determining a respective amount of the wager on the gambling event;  
 determining, by the game computer, a respective outcome of the gambling event;  
 determining, by the game computer, a respective financial resolution of the wager;  
 generating, by the game computer, an authenticatable message including an indication of the amount of the wager, an indication of the outcome, and an indication of the financial resolution; and  
 transmitting the authenticatable message to a second computer.  
   
   
   
       44 . A game machine comprising: 
 a processor;    a display in communication with the processor; and    a data storage medium in communication with the processor, the data storage medium storing software, 
 in which the software comprises 
 a game program for providing at least one wagering opportunity and  
 an audit program, and  
 
 in which the software is operable to direct the processor to perform steps of:  
 monitoring an amount of credit available for wagering;  
 determining a wager by a player for a game of chance;  
 determining at least one game outcome based on the game program;  
 recording an indication of each at least one game outcome in a respective authenticatable message for authentication by a host computer in communication with the game machine; and  
 displaying an indication of the at least one game outcome via the display.  
   
   
   
       45 . The game machine of  claim 44 , in which recording the indication comprises: 
 generating the respective authenticatable message based on a cryptographic protocol.    
   
   
       46 . The game machine of  claim 44 , in which recording the indication comprises: 
 generating the respective authenticatable message based on a hash function.    
   
   
       47 . The game machine of  claim 44 , in which recording the indication comprises: 
 generating the respective authenticatable message based on a checksum algorithm.    
   
   
       48 . The game machine of  claim 44 , in which recording the indication comprises: 
 generating the respective authenticatable message based on a digital signature.    
   
   
       49 . The game machine of  claim 44 , in which the software is further operable to direct the processor to perform a step of: 
 transmitting each respective authenticatable message to the host computer,    thereby creating on the host computer an electronic audit-trail of each wager by the player.    
   
   
       50 . The game machine of  claim 44 , in which recording comprises: 
 transmitting the indication of each at least one game outcome to a data storage medium associated with the host computer.    
   
   
       51 . The game machine of  claim 44 , in which recording comprises: 
 storing each respective authenticatable message in the data storage medium.    
   
   
       52 . The game machine of  claim 51 , in which the data storage medium comprises a read/write device.  
   
   
       53 . The game machine of  claim 51 , in which the data storage medium comprises a disk drive.  
   
   
       54 . The game machine of  claim 51 , in which the data storage medium comprises a disk.  
   
   
       55 . The game machine of  claim 51 , in which the data storage medium comprises a module.  
   
   
       56 . The game machine of  claim 51 , in which the data storage medium comprises a CD-ROM.  
   
   
       57 . The game machine of  claim 44 , in which the software is further operable to direct the processor to perform a step of: 
 transmitting to the host computer a request to redeem winnings.    
   
   
       58 . The game machine of  claim 57 , in which the request includes authenticatable audit information.