Abstract: A networked computer system is described herein. The networked computer system includes a casino management system coupled to a plurality of devices located within a casino and a facial recognition system. The facial recognition system is programmed to receive facial image from an imaging device positioned within the casino property, access a biometric database and selecting a face ID matching the received facial image, and transmit the selected face ID and location information associated with the imaging device to the casino management system. The casino management system is programmed to identify a player account record associated with the selected face ID, identify a device located within the casino that is associated with the imaging device, and record activity of the identified device to the identified player account record.

Abstract: In some embodiments, in a system comprising a wagering game machine, the wagering gaming machine including a digital camera and a barcode recognition unit, a method includes: detecting, by the digital camera, a barcode within a field of view of the digital camera and capturing a picture of the barcode; via the barcode recognition unit, decoding the barcode to produce decoded barcode data; in response to the decoded barcode data representing a desired casino wagering game, determining whether the desired casino wagering game is installed on the wagering game machine; and, if the desired casino wagering game is installed on the wagering game machine, loading, initiating and presenting the desired casino wagering game on an electronic display device of the wagering game machine.

Abstract: Automatic card shufflers may include a card input mechanism for inputting cards into the card shuffler, a card storage device for receiving cards from the card input mechanism and temporarily storing cards within the card shuffler, and a card output mechanism for outputting cards from the card shuffler. The automatic card shufflers may randomly select an internal compartment to be an overflow compartment for inserting cards when a failure of insertion of a card to a selected primary card position occurs.

Abstract: Multi-user shared mixed reality devices, methods, and systems are disclosed. The disclosure includes a plurality of head-mounted mixed reality systems, interconnected through a network that may also include a central server. A first user defines the boundaries of a first room containing said first user, as well as the boundaries of one or more objects within said room. Said first user also defines the location and/or boundaries of an inter-user window for sharing mixed reality elements with other users. Additional users perform similar definitional steps. Multi-user matchmaking is performed, comprises virtually stitching together a virtual version of a first physical room associated with said first user with a virtual version of a second physical room associated with a second user at a location where a first virtual inter-user window and a second virtual inter-user window coincide. Various combinations of the disclosed devices, methods, and systems may be implemented.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system and method for administering a wagering game and an integrated broadcast announcement. The wagering game is facilitated by a wagering sub-system that communicates with a plurality of gaming machines over a wide area network so that each gaming machine presents a unique wagering game session having a random wagering game result. The integrated broadcast announcement is provided by a video presentation sub-system that is communicatively coupled to the wagering sub-system and at least one stationary monitor over the wide area network. The video presentation sub-system integrates a first wagering game session result associated with a first gaming machine, a second wagering game session result associated with a second gaming machine, and commentary about the first and second wagering game session results into the integrated broadcast announcement.

Abstract: A gaming machine is described herein. The gaming machine includes a control unit operably coupled to the control panel and the display device. The control unit including a processor programmed to execute an algorithm to display an animated sequence of computer-generated images on the display device including the steps of displaying a game screen on the display device including a plurality of reels, establishing a plurality of predefined subsets of cells, displaying a plurality of player selectable feature area buttons on a touchscreen with each player selectable feature area associated with a corresponding subset of cells, receiving a player's selection of a selected player selectable feature area button and highlighting a feature area including the corresponding subset of cells, animating the plurality of reels to spin and stop and displaying a game feature upon detecting the occurrence of a predetermined symbol appearing in the highlighted feature area.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system and method for training a neural network associated with a casino table game monitoring system. Synthetic images of objects extracted from a virtual table game environment are used to train a machine learning model, which is deployed to a casino table game monitoring system to monitor one or more physical objects relative to a physical gaming table in a physical table game environment.

Abstract: A playing card handling device comprises a card storing area that supports a stack of playing cards, the card storing area having a playing card support surface. A card removing system removes playing cards individually from the bottom of the stack. A pivoting arm is automatically moved by a motor between at least two positions, wherein in a first position the end of the arm opposite a pivot is disengaged from a playing card at the top of the stack and in a second position the end of the arm is engaged with a playing card at the top of the stack. A processor in the playing card handling device directs movement of the pivoting arm between at least the first and second positions when a predetermined number of cards is present in the card storing area. Methods of card handling include employing the use of such a pivotal arm.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system, method, apparatus and computer program for generating a modified audio signal associated with a computer generated three-dimensional, 3D environment in which a computer generated character is located at a character location.

Abstract: The invention relates to systems and methods of revealing portions of outcomes of real-world wagers through interactive media by storing reserve wagers, receiving an indication a first token has been acquired by a user, determining a tracking wager associated with the first token, matching a stored reserve wager with the tracking wager, associating the matched reserve wager with the first token, and revealing at least a portion of the outcome of the matched reserve wager to the user by the user's interaction with the interactive media. By integrating real-world wager outcomes with user interactions, the system may provide an engaging user experience with interactive media. For example, a game may reveal an outcome of a real-world wager (which has already occurred), in response to in-game actions such as user actions in the game, other players' actions, game events, and/or other events.

Abstract: A chip dispensing system for gaming comprises a plurality of chip dispensing units. Each chip dispensing unit comprises a magazine for storing chips. Each chip is assigned a monetary value. Each chip dispensing unit further comprises a ramp extending from the magazine, and an arm for propelling each dispensed chip toward a chip playing field. Processing circuitry monitors a cumulative value of a series of wagers over a time period, and to determine that a cumulative value of chips dispensed toward the playing field corresponds to a predefined return-to-player percentage of the series of wagers: following receipt of a wager, calculate a value of chips to be added to the chip playing field in order to maintain the predefined return-to-player percentage; and instruct the chip dispensing units to dispense chips having a collective value equivalent to the calculated value toward the chip playing field.

Abstract: A lift frame is mounted on a gaming machine compartment so as to be moveable between a lift frame latched position and a lift frame raised position along a lift axis defined within the compartment. A lift frame latch is operable to selectively retain the lift frame in the lift frame latched position. A pivot frame is pivotally mounted on the lift frame so as to be pivotable between a pivot frame latched position and a pivot frame raised position about a pivot axis defined at an upper end of the lift frame. A pivot frame latch operates between the pivot frame and lift frame to selectively retain the pivot frame in the pivot frame latched position but allow the pivot frame and a gaming machine panel mounted thereon to be pivoted so as to expose a compartment front opening and provide access to the compartment interior.

Abstract: A networked casino management computer system is described herein. The networked casino management computer system includes a facial recognition system and a casino management server. The facial recognition system is programmed receive a facial image from an imaging device, access a biometric database and select a face ID matching the received facial image, and transmit the selected face ID and location information associated with the imaging device to the casino management system. The casino management system is programmed to access a player database and identify a player record associated with the selected face ID, identify a device located within the casino that is associated with the imaging device, and record activity of the identified device to the identified player record.

Abstract: A system includes a display device including a display surface configured to display a graphic and including an opening. The system also includes a peripheral device mounted within the opening of the display surface, and a processor configured to execute instructions stored in a memory device, which when executed, cause the processor to at least: display the graphic on the display surface of the display device adjacent to the peripheral device, whereby the graphic is displayed at least partially in association with the peripheral device.

Abstract: A system that analyzes an image of a gaming area, identifies an object depicted in the image and generates a virtual mask that conforms to a shape of the object. The system further maps the virtual mask to locations in a virtual scene that correspond to pixels in the image that correspond to the outer shape of the object. The system renders content in the virtual scene relative to a boundary of the mask based on the relevance of the physical object to the game state. The system instructs a projector to project the rendered image in relation to the physical object according to the content rendered relative to the mask.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for predicting a pre-reservation access size performed by a computing device. The method may include: obtaining a plurality of sub-information groups from first pre-reservation information for at least one first game based on a plurality of pre-reservation variable combinations; generating a prediction model group unit including a plurality of sub-prediction models based on the plurality of sub-information groups, wherein each of the plurality of the sub-prediction models is related to at least one of the plurality of sub-information groups; and determining a pre-reservation access probability of a second game by using at least one sub-prediction model corresponding to second pre-reservation information for the second game in the prediction model group unit.

Abstract: A unified wallet manager (UWM) virtualized as a single virtual service in which all transactions relative to the UWM are treated as immutable facts permanently stored in append-only queues or ledgers from the time of their creation. A rules engine reads conversion requests in request calls to the service and determines which rule or rules, including responsible gaming rules, to apply to control or convert funds from one ledger to another, in the same or different vertically scaled gaming systems. The UWM is a peer of other vertical gaming systems, and the gaming systems access the UWM via an API server and data egresses from the UWM through an ETL process from a database cluster. The ledger stores funds of many different types, including real money, points, play money, and others. Third parties can integrate with the UWM through an integration hub connected to the UWM.