Abstract: A gaming system is configured for dynamic and location-specific sound management in distributed gaming environments. A mobile gaming device executes a gaming application in undefined areas such as airports or restaurants. Various fixed gaming stations are disposed across gaming zones in defined gaming areas such as casino floors. A server communicates with the mobile device and gaming stations and samples ambient sounds with respect to each, and identifies desired sound signatures with respect to one or more of the gaming zones, such as ambient sounds for an associated gaming application, a jackpot or equivalent “hot spot” in the gaming environment, etc. The mobile device is directed to emit the ambient sounds associated with the identified desired sound signatures for the gaming zone in the defined area. The server may further direct sound emitters associated with the mobile device to locally suppress ambient sounds other than identified zone-specific exception sound signatures.

Abstract: A gaming system having a plurality of game devices, a game controller, a shared experience controller and a method for operation thereof is disclosed. Each game device allows a player to make a wager on a game and awards the respective player an award as a function as a result of a winning condition for the game played by the respective player. The game controller is coupled to the game devices for playing the game, randomly establishing the actual outcome of the game, and determining if any of the players have a winning condition. The shared experience controller is coupled to the game devices for recognizing a bonus condition for one of the players, responsively providing a choice of items to one or more other players, and providing a bonus award to the one player and/or any of the other players in response to selection of on of the items.

Abstract: The gaming system that includes a server, a gaming machine communicatively coupled to the server, and a processor. The processor is programmed to: upon receiving a wager at the gaming machine, provide a bingo based game on the gaming machine, the bingo based game comprising gaming content that includes at least one bingo game card, determine that a triggering event has occurred during play of the bingo based game, and based on the triggering event, provide the player with at least one free bingo card in a bingo based bonus game.

Abstract: A method for playing a game of chance on a gaming machine that includes a display and a plurality of reel positions associated with the game of chance. The plurality of reel positions are configured to be populated with predefined reel strips selected from a reel strip database. The method includes providing the game of chance on the gaming machine, selecting a plurality of predefined reel strips from the reel strip database, populating the plurality of reel positions with the selected plurality of predefined reel strips, and displaying a result of spinning the selected plurality of predefined reel strips.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of authenticating a memory of a gaming machine is provided. The method uses a computing device having a processor communicatively coupled to a memory. The method includes identifying a first area of the memory including one or more operational data components associated with operating the gaming machine. The first area further includes a public key associated with an original memory area. The method also includes authenticating, by the processor, the first area using at least the public key from the first area.

Abstract: A gaming machine associates each position in a plurality of positions with one of a plurality of markers including at least a first marker and a second marker, identifies a plurality of patterns including at least one position of the plurality of positions, determines whether at least one pattern of the plurality of patterns satisfies a predetermined first threshold based on the first marker of the plurality of markers, and determines whether at least one pattern of the plurality of patterns satisfies the predetermined first threshold based on the second marker of the plurality of markers.

Abstract: A gaming system that includes an input device with a sensor configured to measure data associated with an interaction of a player with the input device during play of a game on the gaming machine. The gaming system further includes a processor programmed to receive measured data from the sensor, determine, from the received measured data, that the interaction of the player with the input device exceeds an acceptable interaction threshold level, associate one or more gaming events that correspond to the determination that the interaction of the player with the input device exceeds the acceptable interaction threshold level, and determine a mental state of the player based on: the associated one or more gaming events, and the determination that the interaction of the player with the input device exceeds the acceptable interaction threshold level.

Abstract: Gaming servers and methods for use in providing a random reward to multiple players are disclosed. One exemplary method includes randomly shuffling bonus values between each of the plurality of gaming machines participating in the random reward, wherein the random reward includes a trigger condition triggering the random reward, upon shuffling the bonus values between each of the plurality of gaming machines. The method further includes determining if the trigger condition is satisfied by one of the plurality of gaming machines, and in response to the trigger condition being satisfied, awarding, at the gaming server, the random reward based on a final bonus value randomly shuffled to the one of the plurality of gaming machines from amongst each of the bonus values at a time the random reward is triggered.

Abstract: A gaming system is configured for dynamic and location-specific management of sound in a gaming environment. Various gaming stations, each including sound receivers and sound emitters, are disposed across multiple gaming zones. A server communicates with the gaming stations and is configured to sample ambient sounds with respect to the plurality of zones, and identify zone-specific exception sound signatures with respect to a dynamic noise threshold for at least a first of the plurality of zones, such as for example a jackpot or equivalent “hot spot” in the gaming environment. One or more gaming machines external to the first zone are directed to locally amplify sounds associated with the identified zone-specific exception sound signatures for the first zone. The server may further direct sound emitters external to the first zone to emit sound waves effective to locally suppress particular ambient sounds other than the identified zone-specific exception sound signatures.

Abstract: A game system and method plays an electronic game and simulates the outcome as a keno game. The game system allows a player to place a wager, plays the electronic game, and establishes an outcome of the electronic game. The outcome of the electronic game includes a payout according to a first pay table if a set of predetermined conditions has been achieved. The outcome of the game is simulated as a keno game. The outcome of the keno game is equivalent to the outcome of the electronic game.

Abstract: A game of chance associated with a first player is executed at least in part by selecting a combination of game symbols from a set of available game symbols. A history of previous game symbol combinations selected by one or more previous executions of a game of chance is determined. The previous executions are associated with a second player and/or a previous gaming session associated with the first player. When the selected game symbol combination is included in the history of previous game symbol combinations, a prize is awarded.

Abstract: Systems and methods for use in providing a random reward associated with at least one play-for-fun application are disclosed. One exemplary method includes crediting, at the gaming server, gaming activity directed to a play-for-fun application by a player to a player tracking account, issuing at least one coupon associated with a random reward based on at least the gaming activity credited to the player tracking account, tracking, at the gaming server, redemption of the at least one coupon, and awarding the random reward when the coupon is redeemed at a gaming machine in accordance with at least one trigger condition.

Abstract: A mobile gaming device is configured for dynamic and location-specific noise suppression. The device samples ambient sounds via a sound receiver, and identifies a profile of ambient sounds and exception sound signatures for a current location. Resident sound emitters are directed to emit sound waves which locally suppress ambient sounds, but local suppression may be disabled for sounds associated with the exception sound signatures. The device may further locally amplify sounds associated the gaming application, and in some embodiments may locally amplify sounds associated with the exception sound signatures, such as for example location-specific alerts. In various embodiments, a plurality of mobile gaming devices in a common location may exchange ambient sound information. In various embodiments, the mobile gaming devices are coupled to a central server which generates a baseline profile for each gaming zone and directs local noise suppression.

Abstract: A gaming system having a plurality of game devices, a game controller, a shared experience controller and a method for operation thereof is disclosed. Each game device allows a player to make a wager on a game and awards the respective player an award as a function as a result of a winning condition for the game played by the respective player. The game controller is coupled to the game devices for playing the game, randomly establishing the actual outcome of the game, and determining if any of the players have a winning condition. The shared experience controller is coupled to the game devices for recognizing a bonus condition for one of the players, responsively providing a choice of items to one or more other players, and providing a bonus award to the one player and/or any of the other players in response to selection of on of the items.

Abstract: A system that includes a first input/output (I/O) device configured to generate a code based at least in part on a unique machine identifier of the first I/O device, and a second I/O device communicatively coupled to the first I/O device via a network. The second I/O device is configured to read the code from a tangible medium, parse the code to determine the machine identifier, transmit a validation request directly to the first I/O device via the network, and receive a response message directly from the first I/O device, wherein the response message indicates a number of credits available to a user at the second I/O device.

Abstract: A gaming machine that includes a cabinet, a peripheral device coupled to the cabinet, a curved video display, and a processor is provided. The curved video display includes a cutout, wherein a perimeter of the cutout surrounds the peripheral device, and wherein the processor is programmed to display, on the curved video display, a graphic adjacent to and associated with the peripheral device.

Abstract: A gaming machine includes an input device and a processor coupled to the input device. The input device is configured to receive a game play event from a player. The processor is programmed to determine whether a jackpot trigger condition is satisfied based at least in part on the game play event. The jackpot trigger condition includes a target quantity of games played, a target set of game tokens, a target pattern of game symbols, and/or a target pattern of game play outcomes. The processor is further programmed to award a jackpot credit to one or more players when the jackpot trigger condition is satisfied.

Abstract: Systems and methods for use in providing a random reward associated with at least one game are disclosed. One exemplary method includes receiving, by a gaming server, data representative of gaming activity of a player of the at least one game, providing, by the gaming server, a code associated with the random reward, wherein the code is representative of an entry to win the random reward, receiving, by the gaming server, data representative of a text message including the code, determining whether the player won the random reward based on the received code, and providing a notification indicating whether the player won the random reward.

Abstract: The gaming system that includes a server, a gaming machine communicatively coupled to the server, and a processor. The processor is programmed to: upon receiving a wager at the gaming machine, provide a bingo based game on the gaming machine, the bingo based game comprising gaming content that includes at least one bingo game card, determine that a triggering event has occurred during play of the bingo based game, and based on the triggering event, provide the player with at least one free bingo card in a bingo based bonus game.

Abstract: A gaming system includes a central server linked to gaming zones each defined by a group of user stations. The server identifies exception sound signatures with respect to each of the plurality of zones, and disables local suppression of ambient sounds associated with the exception sound signatures. The stations each include a gaming terminal, and sound receiving and emitting devices. The stations sample ambient sounds and generate representative audio data. The stations collectively compile audio data representative of zone-specific ambient sounds, and individually emit sound waves effective to locally suppress ambient sounds for which local suppression is not disabled. The stations extract user station-specific sound signatures from a combination of the local audio data and the zone-specific audio data, and locally amplify sounds associated with the extracted user station-specific sound signatures.