Sourcing of electronic wagering games accessed through unaffiliated hosts

Abstract

Play of a wagering game on a user's computing device is supported while a web page from a host server is displayed on the user's screen. The game is contained in a window on the web page, but the game is controlled by a source server. The computing device downloads via the host server a module of an application support service that supports play of the first wagering game within the window. Requests for critical information required for play of the game from the user's computing device are routed via the host server to the source server. Replies to the requests are transmitted from the source server to the computing device thereby permitting play of the first game within the window as displayed on the screen of the user's computing device. The host server controls the subject matter displayed on the web page outside the window containing the wagering game.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method implemented by a host server that hosts a web page including a plurality of wagering games, a first of the wagering games being available for play under the control of a first source server and a second of the wagering games being available for play under the control of a second source server distinct from the first source server, the method comprising:
 transmitting the web page to a user's computing device;   responsive to receiving from the user's computing device a selection of the first wagering game, causing to be displayed within the web page a window presenting the first wagering game for play and downloading to the user's computing device information for rendering images of the first wagering game in the window and for handling active objects in the window;   receiving from the user's computing device a request for critical information associated with regulated wagering activities and required for play of the first wagering game, and routing the request to the first source server;   receiving from the first source server a reply to the critical information request and routing the reply to the user's computing device, thereby permitting play of the first wagering game;   causing to be displayed within the web page, outside the window, material controlled by the host server and not by the first or second source servers, wherein the host server is not affiliated with the first or second source servers; and   receiving from the user's computing device a selection of the second wagering game.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein requests for non-critical information by the user's computing device received at the host server are not routed to the first source server. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the material displayed outside the window includes icons corresponding to wagering games, including the first wagering game, available for play on the user's computing device. 
     
     
         24 . A method implemented by a user's computing device, comprising:
 receiving from a host server a web page hosted by the host server and including a plurality of wagering games, a first of the wagering games being available for play under the control of a first source server and a second of the wagering games being available for play under the control of a second source server distinct from the first source server;   communicating to the host server a selection of the first wagering game;   causing to be displayed within the web page on the user's computing device a window presenting the first wagering game for play;   rendering images of the first wagering game in the window and handling active objects in the window by the user's computing device;   communicating a request for critical information associated with regulated wagering activities and required for play of the first wagering game to the host server or to the first source server;   receiving a reply to the request for critical information to permit play of the first wagering game on the user's computing device; and   causing to be displayed within the web page and outside the window material controlled by the host server and not by the first or second source servers, wherein the host server is not affiliated with the first or second source servers.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the communicating the request is sent to the host server, which in turn, routes the request to the first source server, the host server returning the reply from the first source server to the user's computing device. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein requests for non-critical information by the user's computing device received at the host server are not routed through the first source server. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising the user's computing device transmitting requests for non-critical information directly to the host server without being routed through the first source server. 
     
     
         28 . A method implemented by a source server that supports wagering on games comprising the steps of:
 linking the source server to a first host server and to a second host server such that messages are communicated between the source server and the first or second host servers, the first host server hosting a first web page presenting in a first window within the first web page a first wagering game available for play on a computing device, the second host server hosting a second web page presenting in a second window within the second web page a second wagering game available for play on the computing device, wherein the source server is not affiliated with the first or second host servers;   receiving a first request for critical information in response to a request for critical information received from the user's computing device, the critical information being required for play of the first wagering game and including instructions or data associated with regulated wagering activities;   transmitting a reply to the request for critical information for display in the window, thereby permitting play of the first wagering game within the first window;   receiving a second request for critical information required for play of the second wagering game; and   transmitting a second reply to the second request for critical information for display in the second window, thereby permitting play of the second wagering game within the second window, wherein material outside the window on the web page is controlled by the first or the second host servers independently of the source server such that the source server does not control any images displayed on the web page outside the window, but wherein critical information associated with the first or second wagering games is controlled by the source server and not by the first or second host servers.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the source server receives the first request for critical information from the host server and the source server transmits the first reply back to the host server, and wherein the source server receives the second request for critical information from the host server and the source server transmits the second reply back to the host server. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein requests for non-critical information by the user's computing device received at the first or second host servers are not routed to the source server. 
     
     
         31 . One or more physical machine-readable storage media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations implemented by a host server that hosts a web page including a plurality of wagering games, a first of the wagering games being available for play under the control of a first source server and a second of the wagering games being available for play under the control of a second source server distinct from the first source server, the operations comprising:
 transmitting the web page to a user's computing device;   responsive to receiving from the user's computing device a selection of the first wagering game, causing to be displayed within the web page a window presenting the first wagering game for play and downloading to the user's computing device information for rendering images of the first wagering game in the window and for handling active objects in the window;   receiving from the user's computing device a request for critical information associated with regulated wagering activities and required for play of the first wagering game, and routing the request to the first source server;   receiving from the first source server a reply to the critical information request and routing the reply to the user's computing device, thereby permitting play of the first wagering game;   causing to be displayed within the web page, outside the window, material controlled by the host server and not by the first or second source servers, wherein the host server is not affiliated with the first or second source servers; and   receiving from the user's computing device a selection of the second wagering game.   
     
     
         32 . The one or more physical machine-readable storage media of  claim 31 , wherein requests for non-critical information by the user's computing device received at the host server are not routed to the first source server. 
     
     
         33 . The one or more physical machine-readable storage media of  claim 31 , wherein the material displayed outside the window includes icons corresponding to wagering games, including the first wagering game, available for play on the user's computing device. 
     
     
         34 . One or more physical machine-readable storage media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations implemented by a user's computing device, the operations comprising:
 receiving from a host server a web page hosted by the host server and including a plurality of wagering games, a first of the wagering games being available for play under the control of a first source server and a second of the wagering games being available for play under the control of a second source server distinct from the first source server;   communicating to the host server a selection of the first wagering game;   causing to be displayed within the web page on the user's computing device a window presenting the first wagering game for play;   rendering images of the first wagering game in the window and handling active objects in the window by the user's computing device;   communicating a request for critical information associated with regulated wagering activities and required for play of the first wagering game to the host server or to the first source server;   receiving a reply to the request for critical information to permit play of the first wagering game on the user's computing device; and   causing to be displayed within the web page and outside the window material controlled by the host server and not by the first or second source servers, wherein the host server is not affiliated with the first or second source servers.   
     
     
         35 . The one or more physical machine-readable storage media of  claim 34 , wherein the communicating the request is sent to the host server, which in turn, routes the request to the first source server, the host server returning the reply from the first source server to the user's computing device. 
     
     
         36 . The one or more physical machine-readable storage media of  claim 34 , wherein requests for non-critical information by the user's computing device received at the host server are not routed through the first source server. 
     
     
         37 . The one or more physical machine-readable storage media of  claim 34 , the operations further comprising the user's computing device transmitting requests for non-critical information directly to the host server without being routed through the first source server. 
     
     
         38 . One or more physical machine-readable storage media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations implemented by a source server that supports wagering on games, the operations comprising:
 linking the source server to a first host server and to a second host server such that messages are communicated between the source server and the first or second host servers, the first host server hosting a first web page presenting in a first window within the first web page a first wagering game available for play on a computing device, the second host server hosting a second web page presenting in a second window within the second web page a second wagering game available for play on the computing device, wherein the source server is not affiliated with the first or second host servers;   receiving a first request for critical information in response to a request for critical information received from the user's computing device, the critical information being required for play of the first wagering game and including instructions or data associated with regulated wagering activities;   transmitting a reply to the request for critical information for display in the window, thereby permitting play of the first wagering game within the first window;   receiving a second request for critical information required for play of the second wagering game; and   transmitting a second reply to the second request for critical information for display in the second window, thereby permitting play of the second wagering game within the second window, wherein material outside the window on the web page is controlled by the first or the second host servers independently of the source server such that the source server does not control any images displayed on the web page outside the window, but wherein critical information associated with the first or second wagering games is controlled by the source server and not by the first or second host servers.   
     
     
         39 . The one or more physical machine-readable storage media of  claim 38 , wherein the source server receives the first request for critical information from the host server and the source server transmits the first reply back to the host server, and wherein the source server receives the second request for critical information from the host server and the source server transmits the second reply back to the host server. 
     
     
         40 . The one or more physical machine-readable storage media of  claim 39 , wherein requests for non-critical information by the user's computing device received at the first or second host servers are not routed to the source server.