Gaming management system and gaming management method

Abstract

A gaming management system including: a plurality of gaming management clients each associated with at least one of a plurality of venues; and a gaming management server adapted to store gaming management data for each venue and including a data access module arranged to control access to the data by each gaming management client so that a gaming management client can only access gaming management of a venue with which the gaming management client is associated.

1 . A gaming management system comprising:
 a plurality of gaming management clients each associated with at least one of a plurality of venues; and   a gaming management server adapted to store gaming management data for each venue and comprising a data access module arranged to control access to the data by each gaming management client so that a gaming management client can only access gaming management data of a venue with which the gaming management client is associated.   
   
   
       2 . A gaming management system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one venue comprises:
 a plurality of gaming machines; and   a plurality of data capture modules associated with respective ones of the gaming machines and arranged to collect data relating to use of the gaming machine with which it is associated.   
   
   
       3 . A gaming management system as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the gaming management server is arranged to store gaming management data based on venue data communicated from the venues. 
   
   
       4 . A gaming management system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the venue data forms at least part of the gaming management data. 
   
   
       5 . A gaming management system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the gaming management server is arranged to derive at least part of the gaming management data by processing the venue data. 
   
   
       6 . A gaming management system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the venue data is communicated directly from the data collection modules to the gaming server. 
   
   
       7 . A gaming management system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the venue data is communicated from the data collection modules to the gaming server via the gaming management client. 
   
   
       8 . A gaming management system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the gaming management clients is arranged to buffer venue data before communicating the data to the gaming management server. 
   
   
       9 . A gaming management system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the gaming management clients is associated with a user interface comprising a display, and the at least one gaming management client is arranged to display at least some of the gaming management data on the display in response to a user instruction input via the user interface. 
   
   
       10 . A gaming management system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the gaming management client is arranged to display data corresponding to the current data stored by the gaming management server when the gaming management client is connected to the gaming management server and to display data corresponding to a prior version of data sent to the gaming management client when the gaming management client is not connected to the gaming management server. 
   
   
       11 . A gaming management system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the gaming management server comprises one or more data management modules for processing venue data. 
   
   
       12 . A gaming management method comprising:
 connecting a plurality of gaming management clients to a gaming management server, each gaming management client associated with at least one of a plurality of venues;   storing gaming management data for each venue; and   controlling access to the data by each gaming management client so that a gaming management client can only access gaming management data of a venue with which the venue-based gaming management client is associated.   
   
   
       13 . A gaming management method as claimed in  claim 12 , comprising collecting data with a plurality of data capture modules associated with respective ones of the gaming machines. 
   
   
       14 . A gaming management method as claimed in  claim 12 , comprising storing gaming management data based on venue data communicated from the venues. 
   
   
       15 . A gaming management method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the venue data forms at least part of the gaming management data. 
   
   
       16 . A gaming management method as claimed in  claim 14 , comprising deriving at least part of the gaming management data by processing the venue data with the gaming management server. 
   
   
       17 . A gaming management method as claimed in  claim 14 , comprising communicating the venue data directly from the data collection modules to the gaming server. 
   
   
       18 . A gaming management method as claimed in  claim 14 , comprising communicating the venue data from the data collection modules to the gaming server via the gaming management client. 
   
   
       19 . A gaming management method as claimed in  claim 18 , comprising buffering venue data at at least one of the gaming management clients before communicating the data to the gaming management server. 
   
   
       20 . A gaming management method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the gaming management clients is associated with a user interface comprising a display, and the method comprises displaying at least some of the gaming management data on the display in response to a user instruction input via the user interface. 
   
   
       21 . A gaming management method as claimed in  claim 20 , comprising displaying data corresponding to the current data stored by the gaming management server when the gaming management client is connected to the gaming management server and displaying data corresponding to a prior version of data sent to the gaming management client when the gaming management client is not connected to the gaming management server. 
   
   
       22 . A gaming management method comprising:
 providing a gaming management server adapted to store gaming management data for a plurality of venues;   connecting a venue operated by the operator to the gaming management server so as to gather data from the venue; and   storing gaming management data of the venue operator at the gaming management server.   
   
   
       23 . A gaming management method as claimed in  claim 22  comprising connecting the venue in exchange for a fee. 
   
   
       24 . A gaming management method as claimed in  claim 22  comprising connecting the venue by connecting a data collection module to each to be managed gaming machine of the venue and placing the data collection modules in data communication with the gaming management server. 
   
   
       25 . A gaming management method as claimed in  claim 22 , comprising providing, at the venue, a gaming management client configured to view the gaming management server. 
   
   
       26 . A gaming management method comprising connecting a venue operated by a first operator to a gaming management system operated by a second operator in exchange for a fee to thereby provide at least one gaming management function to the first operator.