Gaming System and Game Controller

Abstract

A game controller for a multiple player terminal game system comprising: a terminal exchange adapted for data communication with a plurality of player terminals whereby players enter game play instructions; a random result generator; a memory module storing two or more sets of game play rules, each for a different game adapted to use the random number generator; and a game rule selector controllable by an operator to select one of the sets of game play rules to apply to game play by all players.

1 . A game controller for a multiple player terminal game system comprising:
 a terminal exchange adapted for data communication with a plurality of player terminals whereby players enter game play instructions;   a random result generator;   a memory module storing two or more sets of game play rules, each for a different game adapted to use the random number generator; and   a game rule selector controllable by an operator to select one of the sets of game play rules to apply to game play by all players.   
   
   
       2 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 1  adapted to provide game data including a random result generated by the random result generator and game play rules for the selected game to each player terminal, to enable each player terminal to determine a game outcome for the player of the game terminal. 
   
   
       3 . A game controller as clamed in  claim 1  further comprising an outcome evaluator adapted to apply the selected set of game rules to a result generated by the random result generator and game play instructions from each player to evaluate game outcomes for each player, and wherein the evaluated game outcomes are provided to each player terminal as game play data. 
   
   
       4 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the random result generator is a mechanical random result generator. 
   
   
       5 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the mechanical random result generator is one of: a roulette wheel, a card dealer, a dice roller and a spinning reel apparatus. 
   
   
       6 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the memory module further stores a set of game graphics data corresponding to each set of game rules. 
   
   
       7 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 6  wherein game graphics data corresponding to a set of game rules is selected in response to selection of the set of game play rules and provided to each player terminal for displaying game information to players. 
   
   
       8 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the set of game play rules is selected in a restricted operating mode of the game controller wherein game play is inhibited. 
   
   
       9 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the restricted operating mode of the game is controlled by an authorized game operator. 
   
   
       10 . A gaming system comprising:
 a plurality of player terminals adapted to enable a player to enter game play instructions to play a given game; and   a game controller comprising:   a terminal exchange in data communication with each of the plurality of player terminals;   a random result generator;   a memory module storing two or more sets of game play rules, each for a different game adapted to use the random result generator; and   a game rule selector controllable by an operator to select one of the sets of game play rules to apply to game play by all players.   
   
   
       11 . A gaming system as clamed in  claim 10  wherein the game controller further comprises an outcome evaluator adapted to apply the selected set of game rules to a result generated by the random result generator and game play instructions for each player to evaluate game outcomes for each player, and wherein the evaluated game outcomes are provided to each player terminal. 
   
   
       12 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein each player terminal includes an outcome evaluator and wherein game data provided to each player terminal includes a random result generated by the random result generator and game play rules for the selected game, to enable the player terminal outcome evaluator to evaluate a game outcome for the player of the game terminal. 
   
   
       13 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the random result generator is a mechanical random result generator. 
   
   
       14 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the mechanical random result generator is one of: a roulette wheel, a card dealer, a dice roller and a spinning reel apparatus. 
   
   
       15 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the memory module further stores a set of game graphics data corresponding to each set of game rules. 
   
   
       16 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 15  wherein game graphics data corresponding to a set of game rules is selected in response to selection of the set of game play rules and transmitted to each player terminal for displaying game information to players. 
   
   
       17 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the set of game play rules is selected in a restricted operating mode of the game controller wherein game play is inhibited. 
   
   
       18 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the restricted operating mode of the game is controlled by an authorized game operator. 
   
   
       19 . A method of gaming comprising the steps of:
 receiving game play instructions from one or more of a plurality of players;   generating random result; and   generating game outcomes for each player based on game play instructions for each player, the random result and a preselected set of game rules,   wherein the preselected set of game rules are selected from two or more sets of game rules each for a different game by an operator and the preselected set of game play rules is applied for all players.   
   
   
       20 . A method as claimed in  claim 19  further comprising the step of an operator preselecting a set of game rules from two or more sets of game rules. 
   
   
       21 . Computer program code which when executed causes a computer to implement a computer implemented a gaming method as claimed in  claim 19 .