System and method for providing awards for utilizing a mobile device in association with a gaming establishment retail account

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to a system that determines whether or not a player wins an award, such as a progressive award, in association with utilizing funds transferred to (or otherwise funded directly to) at least the gaming establishment retail account (or an account linked or otherwise associated with a gaming establishment mobile wallet system).

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor responsive to data associated with a gaming establishment retail account having an amount of non-cashable funds being accessed in association with a purchase made at a point-of-sale terminal of a gaming establishment retail system and responsive to the purchase made at the point-of-sale terminal being a qualifying purchase, cause the processor to:
 determine if an award triggering event occurred in association with the qualifying purchase made at the point-of-sale terminal, wherein the determination is distinct from the purchase being made at the point-of-sale terminal, the purchase is made at the point-of-sale terminal using at least a portion of the amount of non-cashable funds, and the amount of non-cashable funds are non-convertible to an amount of cashable funds, and 
 responsive to the award triggering event occurring in association with the qualifying purchase made at the point-of-sale terminal:
 communicate data that results in a display, by a display device, of a notification associating with winning an award, and 
 modify a balance of an account, the modification being based on the award. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein responsive to the purchase made at the point-of-sale terminal not being the qualifying purchase, no modification, based on any award, of the balance of the account occurs in association with the purchase. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the award comprises a progressive award. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the account having the modified balance comprises the gaming establishment retail account. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data associated with the gaming establishment retail account is accessed via a mobile device application of a mobile device. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data associated with the gaming establishment retail account comprises data associated with at least one of: a cashless wagering account, a credit card account, a debit card account, and a pre-paid account. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the determination of if the purchase made at the point-of-sale terminal is the qualifying purchase is based on at least one of: an amount of the purchase, a type of good purchased, a type of service purchased, an identity of a purchaser, and a type of payment used. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory device stores a plurality of further instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine whether the purchase made at the point-of-sale terminal is a qualifying purchase. 
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor responsive to data associated with a gaming establishment retail account having an amount of non-cashable funds being accessed in association with a purchase made at a point-of-sale terminal of a gaming establishment retail system and responsive to the purchase made at the point-of-sale terminal being a qualifying purchase, cause the processor to:
 determine if an award opportunity triggering event occurred in association with the qualifying purchase made at the point-of-sale terminal, wherein the determination is distinct from the purchase being made at the point-of-sale terminal, the purchase is made at the point-of-sale terminal using at least a portion of the amount of non-cashable funds, and the amount of non-cashable funds are non-convertible to an amount of cashable funds, and 
 responsive to the award opportunity triggering event occurring in association with the qualifying purchase made at the point-of-sale terminal, communicate data that results in a display, by a display device, of an award opportunity to win an award, wherein any award won modifies a balance of an account. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein responsive to the purchase made at the point-of-sale terminal not being the qualifying purchase, no award opportunity triggering event occurs in association with the purchase. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the data associated with the gaming establishment retail account comprises data associated with at least one of: a cashless wagering account, a credit card account, a debit card account, and a pre-paid account. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the determination of if the purchase made at the point-of-sale terminal is the qualifying purchase is based on at least one of: an amount of the purchase, a type of good purchased, a type of service purchased, an identity of a purchaser, and a type of payment used. 
     
     
         13 . A method of operating a system, the method comprising:
 responsive to data associated with a gaming establishment retail account having an amount of non-cashable funds being accessed in association with a purchase made at a point-of-sale terminal of a gaming establishment retail system and responsive to the purchase made at the point-of-sale terminal being a qualifying purchase:
 determining, by a processor, if an award triggering event occurred in association with the qualifying purchase made at the point-of-sale terminal, wherein the determination is distinct from the purchase being made at the point-of-sale terminal, the purchase is made at the point-of-sale terminal using at least a portion of the amount of non-cashable funds, and the amount of non-cashable funds are non-convertible to an amount of cashable funds, and 
 responsive to the award triggering event occurring in association with the qualifying purchase made at the point-of-sale terminal:
 causing a display, by a display device, of a notification associating with winning an award, and 
 modifying, by the processor, a balance of an account, the modification being based on the award. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein responsive to the purchase made at the point-of-sale terminal not being the qualifying purchase, no modification, based on any award, of the balance of the account occurs in association with the purchase. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the award comprises a progressive award. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the account having the modified balance comprises the gaming establishment retail account. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the data associated with the gaming establishment retail account is accessed via a mobile device application of a mobile device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the data associated with the gaming establishment retail account comprises data associated with at least one of: a cashless wagering account, a credit card account, a debit card account, and a pre-paid account. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the determination of if the purchase made at the point-of-sale terminal is the qualifying purchase is based on at least one of: an amount of the purchase, a type of good purchased, a type of service purchased, an identity of a purchaser, and a type of payment used. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising, determining, by the processor, whether the purchase made at the point-of-sale terminal is a qualifying purchase.