Abstract: A gaming system including a plurality of gaming machines is provided. The gaming machines may be configured to provide bonus games with persistent. The gaming machines may be configured to allow a player to enroll in bonus game with persistence and generate a record locator, such as printed ticket that allows a record of a state in the bonus game with persistence to be accessed at a later time. A server coupled to the plurality of gaming machines may maintain records of various states in the bonus game with persistence. When a valid record locator is presented at a gaming machine, these records may be checked out and updated via game play at the gaming machine.

Abstract: A gaming system compatible with patron-controlled portable electronic devices, such as smart phones or tablet computers, is described. When a Player surpasses predetermined game play parameters on a game of an EGM, a bonus game or related game material may be “unlocked” and offered to the Player for download onto the Player's Portable Electronic Device (PED). Upon installation, the game or content may be viewed or played on their PED at a later time and at their leisure.

Abstract: A monitoring system for monitoring customer activities within a casino enterprise is described. The monitoring system can be used to determine a current utilization of casino activities so that an optimal mixture of activities can be offered by the casino. Further, the system can be used to identify customers, based on their utilization of the activities, whose loyalty that a casino enterprise may wish to cultivate. In particular embodiments, the monitoring system can be configured to passively track portable wireless devices and associate the portable wireless devices with activities within the casino enterprise that are not attributable to customers registered in a loyalty program. The identity of the person controlling a particular portable device can be unknown. A virtual customer account can be created where the first portable device is used to identify a virtual customer associated with the account.

Abstract: A gaming system and method which forms, tracks and maintains one or more groups, teams or pools of players. Each group, team or pool includes one or more players (i.e., team members). A player's participation or involvement with the group or team enables the player to access one or more benefits otherwise not available to players unaffiliated with the group or team. That is, based on a player's association with a formed group or team, the gaming system provides the player with one or more benefits, such as an award, an opportunity to win an award, or a modified probability of winning an award.

Abstract: An online gaming registration system allows online gaming patrons to register once and use this registration to create online gaming accounts with gaming Web sites, thereby avoiding having to show proof of residency, age and other requirements set by regulatory entities multiple times. Residency rules and other requirements vary from one jurisdiction to another and the present invention addresses some of the issues that arise from this. An online gaming Web site receives a login from an online player over the Internet. The site determines that the player has an account with the online gaming site and that the account is linked to an online gaming registration system account. The online gaming site receives claims-based data relating to the online player and accepts the player as verified for online gaming at the gaming Web site.

Abstract: A gaming system is described. The gaming system can include one or more host devices and EGM clients that communicate with one another over a network. Various non-gaming applications can be maintained on the host device. In response to a request received from an EGM client, a non-gaming application program can be executed on the host device. Content from the non-gaming application can be converted to a media stream that is sent to the EGM client for output. The media stream can be processed using a codec executed on the EGM. Input data associated with the content can be received at the EGM and sent to the host device. The content from the non-gaming application executed on the host can be adjusted in response to the input data received from the EGM.

Abstract: A method for operating a gaming apparatus includes displaying a set of stopped reels in place of one or more spinning reels, each stopped reel having at least one symbol thereon and the total number of stopped reels being less than the total number of reels originally spinning. The method also includes determining an in-game outcome associated with a configuration of the symbols on the set of stopped reels, and providing an in-game stimulation selected from the group consisting of a 3-dimensional aural stimulation, a visual stimulation, a value stimulation and a physical stimulation according to the in-game outcome. The method further includes displaying stopped reels in place of all of the spinning reels, determining a game outcome associated with the configuration of the symbols on all of the stopped reels, and determining a value payout based on the game outcome. The apparatus is also included.

Abstract: A monitoring system for monitoring customer activities within a casino enterprise can be used to determine a current utilization of casino activities so that the casino can offer an optimal mixture of activities. Further, the system can identify customers (whose loyalty a casino enterprise may wish to cultivate) based on their utilization of the activities. The monitoring system can passively track portable wireless devices and associate the portable wireless devices with activities within the casino enterprise that are not attributable to customers registered in a loyalty program. The person controlling a particular portable device can be unknown. A virtual customer account can be created where the first portable device is used to identify a virtual customer associated with the account. Based upon identification of the first portable device, activities can be associated with the virtual customer and store to the virtual customer account.

Abstract: A gaming system compatible with patron-controlled portable electronic devices, such as smart phones or tablet computers, is described. The gaming system can include electronic gaming machines that are compatible to receive both virtual ticket vouchers and printed ticket vouchers that are redeemable for credits on the electronic gaming machines. Information associated with a virtual ticket voucher can be stored on a patron-controlled portable electronic device and then can be wireless transmitted to the electronic gaming machines. The electronic gaming machines can be configured to issue virtual ticket vouchers and printed ticket vouchers that can be redeemed for cash or additional game play on another electronic gaming machine. In one embodiment, the electronic gaming machine can be configured to issue a virtual ticket voucher to a patron-controlled portable electronic device.

Abstract: Trajectory-based games of chance are described that may be implemented on a video gaming machine. In a trajectory-based game of chance, a trajectory of a game object may be generated in a 3-D gaming environment. A wager may be made on an aspect of the game object's trajectory in the gaming environment such as a termination location for the trajectory of the game object. The aspect of the game object's trajectory may occur according to a known probability. Hence, an award for the trajectory-based game of chance may be proportional to the probability of the aspect of the game object's trajectory occurring.

Abstract: A gaming system including a number of host devices each coupled to one or more gaming machines, wherein content provided by the host device is output on the gaming machine. To output the content provided by the remote host, a host-controlled process that is authenticated by the gaming machine and executed in a secure memory location such that it is isolated from other processes executing on the gaming machine may be utilized. The host-controlled processes may be decoupled from the process used to execute the game of chance played on the gaming machine such that the content output by the host-controlled process doesn't alter the play of game of chance.

Abstract: A method for tracking an event of an externally controlled interface (ECI) is described. The method includes generating the externally controlled interface independent of an outcome of a wager-based game regulated by a regulatory authority, and logging the event of the externally controlled interface.

Abstract: A gaming system compatible with patron-controlled portable electronic devices, such as smart phones or tablet computers, is described. The gaming system is configured to detect the presence of portable electronic devices and determine their locations in a casino environment and determine whether to initiate an attract feature. Based on the determined location of the portable electronic device, nearby gaming devices, such as electronic gaming machines can be selected for use in generating an attract feature for a patron. The generated attract feature can include outputting content to one or more EGMs and/or a patron's portable electronic device. The gaming devices selected for use in an attract feature and/or the content associated with the attract feature can be affected by patron specified preferences. In one embodiment, the patron specified preferences can be entered and stored using an application executed on their portable electronic device.

Abstract: A gaming machine is configured to receive a request for a location of at least one player of at least one gaming device, determine the location of the at least one player; and present on a display of the gaming machine, location information including the determined location of the at least one player. Where the gaming machine is located within a casino, the gaming machine may further be configured to present, on the display, a 3D virtual gaming environment which is a model of the casino.

Abstract: A gaming system compatible with patron-controlled portable electronic devices, such as smart phones or tablet computers, is described. When a Player surpasses predetermined game play parameters on a game of an EGM, a bonus game or related game material may be “unlocked” and offered to the Player for download onto the Player's Portable Electronic Device (PED). Upon installation, the game or content may be viewed or played on their PED at a later time and at their leisure.

Abstract: A gaming system including a number of host devices each coupled to one or more gaming machines, wherein content provided by the host device is output on the gaming machine. To output the content provided by the remote host, a host-controlled process that is authenticated by the gaming machine and executed in a secure memory location such that it is isolated from other processes executing on the gaming machine may be utilized. The host-controlled processes may be decoupled from the process used to execute the game of chance played on the gaming machine such that the content output by the host-controlled process doesn't alter the play of game of chance.

Abstract: A gaming system compatible with patron-controlled portable electronic devices, such as smart phones or tablet computers, is described. Via E-mailing or texting, a server can mediate communications between a user-controlled device, such as a mobile device, and an EGM. In one embodiment, for a transaction involving interactions with a user-controlled device and an EGM, the server can be configured to create a temporary e-mail or text message address. In particular embodiments, a transaction can involve transferring credits to or from the EGM or transferring game play related information from the EGM to a user specified location.

Abstract: A gaming system is described. The gaming system can include one or more host devices and EGM clients that communicate with one another over a network. Various non-gaming applications can be maintained on the host device. In response to a request received from an EGM client, a non-gaming application program can be executed on the host device. Content from the non-gaming application can be converted to a media stream that is sent to the EGM client for output. The media stream can be processed using a codec executed on the EGM. Input data associated with the content can be received at the EGM and sent to the host device. The content from the non-gaming application executed on the host can be adjusted in response to the input data received from the EGM.

Abstract: A gaming system and method which forms, tracks and maintains one or more groups, teams or pools of players. Each group, team or pool includes one or more players (i.e., team members). A player's participation or involvement with the group or team enables the player to access one or more benefits otherwise not available to players unaffiliated with the group or team. That is, based on a player's association with a formed group or team, the gaming system provides the player with one or more benefits, such as an award, an opportunity to win an award, or a modified probability of winning an award.

Abstract: A method for establishing communication between a portable electronic device and an electronic gaming machine within a gaming environment includes receiving wireless signal data transmitted from the portable electronic device, determining a wireless signal strength relative to the electronic gaming machine based on the wireless signal data, and based on a determination that the wireless signal strength relative to the electronic gaming machine has increased, exceeded a predetermined threshold level, and leveled off for an amount of time exceeding a time threshold after becoming stronger, initiating a wireless communication link between the electronic gaming machine and the portable electronic device.