Abstract: A device for providing a proximity sensing touchless display to a gaming machine is provided. The device includes a processor, a display coupled to the processor, and a touchless input interface coupled to the processor and being implemented by the display for receiving input from the player. The input interface employs proximity sensing technology, such as but not limited to proximity button activation. For example, the display can be operable to sense a player's approaching finger entering an electrical field (e.g., corresponding to one or more electrodes) such that a particular button or function on the interface can be activated without the player's finger having to ever physically contact a button, push pad, keypad, touch screen, and/or the like.

Abstract: System and method establish a progressive jackpot award associated with a machine useable by a user. The user has a user account stored in a computer connected to the machine. The computer includes a database for storing user account data including bonus points associated with the user. The progressive jackpot award has an associated payout value. The user uses the bonus points on the machine and an incremental number is added to the payout value of the progressive jackpot award as a function of the number of bonus points used by the user.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking patron events at a plurality of devices is provided. The plurality of devices include electronic gaming machines and non-gaming machines. Each game device has a value associated therewith. The system includes a plurality of player tracking devices and a server or computer. Each player tracking device is associated with one of the electronic gaming machines. The player tracking devices identify patrons interacting with the system, track wagers made by the patrons on the electronic gaming machines and record wager data associated with each wager made by the players and a respective electronic gaming machine in a database. The server receives the wager data and stores the wager data in a database and receives transaction data associated with a transaction associated with the patrons use of the non-gaming devices and stores the transaction data in the database, and establishes a player rating associated with each player as a function of the wager data and the transaction data.

Abstract: A system and method for establishing a promotional progressive jackpot and hidden pools includes a plurality of gaming machines usable by a plurality of players and a host computer operatively coupled to the plurality of gaming machines. The host computer allowing a system user to select a subset of the plurality of gaming machines, allows at least one or more players to use the subset of the plurality of gaming machines, responsively establishing at least one incremental value in response thereto, and adds the at least one incremental value to the promotional progressive jackpot pool. The host computer further awards at least a portion of the promotional progressive jackpot pool to a winning one of the players in response to an occurrence of predetermined promotional progressive jackpot conditions.

Abstract: A system and method establishes promotional progressive jackpot and hidden pools. The system includes first and gaming machines usable by a plurality of players. The first gaming machine has a first theoretical hold value and the second gaming machine has a different second theoretical hold value. The promotional progressive jackpot pool is associated with the first and second gaming machines. A host computer is operatively coupled to the first and second gaming machines for establishing a first incremental value in response to a first player using the first gaming machine and adding the first incremental value to the promotional progressive jackpot pool and for establishing a second incremental value in response to a second player using the second gaming machine and adding the second incremental value to the promotional progressive jackpot pool.

Abstract: A method for establishing promotional progressive jackpot and hidden pools are provided. The system includes a host computer and a plurality of gaming machines playable by a plurality of players, connected to the host computer. Each gaming machine is playable in first and second modes selectable by the player and allows the player to select one of the first and second modes and to play the gaming machine in the selected one of the first and second modes. The promotional progressive jackpot pool is associated with the plurality of gaming machines. The host computer opens a data session on the host computer and records information in the data session on the host computer related to the player's play of the selected one of the gaming machines during the data session. The host computer closes the data session in response to the player choosing to play the game in the other of the first and second modes.

Abstract: A method for establishing promotional progressive jackpot and hidden pools associated with a plurality of gaming machines playable by a plurality of players. The gaming machine may be playable in first and second modes selectable by the player. The method includes opening a data session on the host computer (player tracking database) in response to a first input by one of the players on a selected gaming machine, allowing the player to select one of the first and second modes and to play the gaming machine in the selected one of the first and second modes, and recording information in the data session on the host computer.

Abstract: A system and method credits a player of a gaming machine with bonus points. The bonus points may be credits or incentive points convertible to credits for playing the gaming machine. The player has a player account stored in a computer coupled to the gaming machine. The computer including a database for storing vouchers having a parameter. Each voucher having a first number of bonus points and being assignable to the player account.