Gaming method, gaming system and game controller

Abstract

A gaming method including: triggering generation of a game outcome for a game of chance, based on use of a communication network service by a user; determining any award to be made to the user for the game outcome; and making the award to the user.

1 . A gaming method comprising the steps of:
 triggering generation of a game outcome for a game of chance, based on use of a communication network service by a user;   determining any award to be made to the user for the game outcome; and   making the award to the user.   
   
   
       2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein an award is made to a user is redeemable for further network service use. 
   
   
       3 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the award is credit added to a user's network service access account. 
   
   
       4 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the triggering occurs on access to a communication network service. 
   
   
       5 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the triggering occurs based on credit use for a service. 
   
   
       6 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the triggering occurs based on service usage time. 
   
   
       7 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of notifying the user of any award made. 
   
   
       8 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the game outcome is generated based on a probability algorithm. 
   
   
       9 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the game outcome is generated based on a lottery algorithm. 
   
   
       10 . A system for automatically playing a game of chance, the system comprising:
 a game controller adapted to generate an outcome for a game of chance; and   a network service provider module in data communication with the game controller, the network service provider module being adapted to automatically trigger the game controller to generate a game outcome based on a user accessing a network service, and make any award for a game outcome to the user.   
   
   
       11 . A system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein any award made to a user is redeemable for further communication network service use. 
   
   
       12 . A system as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein subscriber records accessible by the network service provider module are stored for each communication network user and the subscriber data stored for each user includes subscriber credit data. 
   
   
       13 . A system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the award made is credit added to a user's subscriber credit data. 
   
   
       14 . A system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the triggering occurs on access to a network service. 
   
   
       15 . A system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the triggering occurs based on credit use for a service. 
   
   
       16 . A system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the triggering occurs based on service usage time. 
   
   
       17 . A system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the network service provider module is further adapted to notify the user of any award made. 
   
   
       18 . A system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the game controller comprises:
 a random result generator; and   a processor implementing an outcome generator adapted to generate a game outcome based on a generated random result.   
   
   
       19 . A system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the game outcome is generated based on a probability algorithm. 
   
   
       20 . A system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the game outcome is generated based on a lottery algorithm. 
   
   
       21 . A game controller adapted to:
 receive a message from a communication network service provider indicating to trigger playing of a game of chance for a user;   generate of at least one random result;   generate a game outcome based on the generated random result; and   provide game outcome data to the communication network service provider, whereby any award for the game outcome can be made by the network service provider.   
   
   
       22 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the game outcome is generated based on a probability algorithm. 
   
   
       23 . A game controller as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the game outcome is generated based on a lottery algorithm. 
   
   
       24 . An article of manufacture comprising:
 a computer readable storage medium; and   executable program instructions embodied in the computer readable storage medium that, when executed by a computer processor, cause the computer to implement functions of a game controller adapted to:   receive a message from a communication network service provider indicating to trigger playing of a game of chance for a user;   generate of at least one random result;   generate a game outcome based on the generated random result; and   provide game outcome data to the communication network service provider, whereby any award for the game outcome can be made by the network service provider.   
   
   
       25 . An article of manufacture comprising:
 a computer readable storage medium; and   executable program instructions embodied in the computer readable storage medium that, when executed by a computer processor, cause the computer to implement functions of a network service provider module adapted to:   send a message to a game controller in response to user of a communication network service by a user, to trigger the game controller to generate a game outcome;   receive game outcome data from the game controller; and   make any award for a game outcome to the user.