Customizable and personal game offerings for use with a gaming machine

Abstract

Described herein are systems and methods that offer a personalized set of recommended games to an individual. The systems and methods collect personal game selection information for a person, such as demographic information and/or previous gaming experience data. The collected information is then analyzed and used to select a set of recommended games from all possible games (e.g., offered by a gaming establishment) that the person is likely to enjoy. The set of recommended games is then offered to the person when they are identified at or near a gaming machine or when the person provides the personal game selection information to a gaming machine.

1 . A method for offering a set of recommended games to a person near a gaming machine, the method comprising:
 storing personal game selection information that is useful for selecting a game from multiple games for the person;   selecting the set of recommended games, from a set of available games, for the person using the personal game selection information; and   displaying the set of recommended games to the person on a video display associated with the gaming machine.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising identifying the person at or near a gaming machine. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising associating an identification number for the person with the stored personal game selection information. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the person is identified at the gaming machine using a person tracking device presented to the gaming machine by the person. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the personal game selection information includes personal information provided by the person or a device carried by the person. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the personal information is provided by the person in a questionnaire. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the personal game selection information includes game play information obtained during previous game play by the person. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the set of recommended games includes a game related to a previous game played by the person. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising previewing a recommended game selected by the person. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the set of recommended games includes a game that the person previously played. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising requesting the set of recommended games from a server. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising transmitting the set of recommended games from the server to the gaming machine in response to the request. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein selecting the set of recommended games includes an automated selection that uses the personal game selection information to produce the set of recommended games. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the automated selection provides a score for each of the available games. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising changing the automated selection to produce a new set of recommended games. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising changing the personal game selection information used in the automated selection. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the set of recommended games includes one of a video slots game, a video poker game, a video black jack game, a video pachinko game, a video card game, a video keno game, and a video game of chance. 
   
   
       18 . A computer readable medium including instructions for offering a set of recommended games to a person using a gaming machine, the instructions comprising:
 instructions for storing personal game selection information that is useful for selecting a game from multiple games for the person;   instructions for selecting the set of recommended games, from a set of available games, for the person using the personal game selection information; and   instructions for displaying the set of recommended games to the person on a video display associated with the gaming machine.   
   
   
       19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 18  wherein the instructions for selecting the set of recommended games includes an automated selection that uses the personal game selection information to produce the set of recommended games. 
   
   
       20 . A method for selecting a set of recommended games for a person, the method comprising:
 assembling game meta-data for a set of available games, the game meta-data referring to data that is useful for characterizing the game;   obtaining personal game selection information for the person related to the game meta-data; and   selecting a set of recommended games, from the set of available games, for the person using the personal game selection information and using the game meta-data for the set of available games.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the personal game selection information is used to set a weight for each game meta-data that affects the relative relevance of each game meta-data for that person. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the selection is automated given the game meta-data and the personal game selection information. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising renewing the set of recommended games after the personal game selection information changes. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising renewing the set of recommended games after the set of available games changes. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising storing personal identification information that allows the person to be identified at a gaming machine. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the personal identification information includes a personal tracking identification number or biometric information. 
   
   
       27 . A server for use with a gaming machine network, the server comprising:
 a memory designed or configured to store a) a set of available games, b) personal game selection information for a person that is useful for selecting a set of recommended games from the set of available games for the person, and c) a software application that selects the set of recommended games from the set of available games using the personal game selection information;   a logic device configured to execute the software application that selects the set of recommended games from the multiple games for the person using the personal game selection information; and   a communications interface for transmitting a list of the set of recommended games to an external device.   
   
   
       28 . The server of  claim 27  wherein the software application is configured to refresh the selection of the set of recommended games. 
   
   
       29 . The server of  claim 28  wherein the software application is configured to refresh the selection of the set of recommended games when new personal game selection information is received for the person. 
   
   
       30 . The server of  claim 28  wherein the software application is configured to refresh the selection of the set of recommended games on a timely basis. 
   
   
       31 . The server of  claim 28  wherein the memory is further configured to store identification for the person or biometric information for the person. 
   
   
       32 . The server of  claim 28  wherein the memory is further configured to store preview permission for a game for a person. 
   
   
       33 . A gaming machine comprising:
 a controller that is designed or configured to control one or more games played on the gaming machine and to request a set of recommended games for a person from a remote server;   a communications interface configured to communicate with the remote server;   a video device configured to display video data and display the set of recommended games; and   a memory that is designed or configured to store preferential game software that instructs the controller to request the set of recommended games for the person from the remote server when the person near the gaming machine.   
   
   
       34 . The gaming machine of  claim 33  wherein the memory is designed or configured to store preferential game software that instructs the controller to request the set of recommended games when the person is identified at or near the gaming machine. 
   
   
       34 . The gaming machine of  claim 33  further comprising a card reader configured to accept a card and read an identification for the person from the card.