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 server for administering an on-line virtual environment comprises a data communication arrangement and a processor. The data communication arrangement receives a signal from a first entertainment device in communication with an instance of the virtual environment. The signal indicates that a user of that device has performed a predetermined action. The processor determines the availability of a second entertainment device, and is operable to switch the second device from a second instance of the virtual environment to the first instance of the virtual environment. The data communication arrangement is operable, if the second device is available, to transmit a signal to the first device indicating that a software controlled avatar within that instance should change modes to represent a user of the second device. The processor is operable to transfer control of a previously software controlled avatar within that instance of the virtual environment to the second device.

Abstract: An interactive toy has an outer shell, with a non-reactive portion and a first reactive portion. There is a blow sensor for sensing blowing on the shell by a user or from sound from the user or another toy. A microprocessor processes the blowing or sound and generates instructions to cause operation of the reactive portion of the body. Several toys can be responsive to at least one of the toys or sounds, the responsiveness being generated from the user or from other of the several toys to obtain a multiple reaction of multiple toys as a started from an initial blowing or sound by a user or by a sound generation by of the multiple toys.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments, an apparatus and system is provided for determining whether a player requires attention as a problem gambler. The apparatus and system are further operable to dispatch an event, the event for interacting with the problem gambler. The interaction may be targeted, for example, at curbing a player's inappropriate or potentially problematic gambling behavior.

Abstract: Various systems, game controllers, and methods for simulating various objects such as weapons are provided. For example, a game controller may include a trigger, a processor within the body that receives a trigger signal when the trigger is activated by the user. The processor may communicate with a computer running a software program such as a gaming application, and an actuator coupled to the trigger, the actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the trigger in response to receiving a control signal from the processor. The game controller may simulate a gun and generate a recoil effect. In some embodiments, the recoil effect may be generated by impacting a moving mass from a discharge end of the gun to a handle end of the gun. In some embodiments, the recoil effect may be generated by using a body part of a user as a tether.

Abstract: Aspects of this disclosure relate to systems and methods for conducting sport-specific activities. Illustrated systems may be adjustable to permit a performance of different sport-specific activities. Further aspects relate to using sensor data to evaluate a user's performance and determine sport-specific fitness parameters. Various fitness parameters may measure reactive agility and/or the physiological state of the user, such as when in an exhausted state. Illustrated systems may have structures with an output device and a sensor. The structure may include a vertically-arranged planar surface to form a wall. Several structures may be configured to form a boundary. The boundary may be automatically adjustable, for example, depending on one or more specific fitness routines to be implemented. Calculated fitness parameters may be visually mapped on the structures of the system.

Abstract: A wagering server system provides pari-mutuel wagering on a large number of entrants. The wagering server system has a wagering application which is configured for administration of pari-mutuel wagering. The application has a first tournament object which is configured to initialize into at least one first tournament component. The first tournament component represents in one embodiment a real world contested event which may have a large number of entrants. A sensory application interoperates with sensors located at the event. The sensors generate readable data digital signals when interoperating with readable data components. The wagering application also has a game play component which is configured to receive readable data digital signals, where real-time wagering may occur on the first real world contested event.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method for processing move information obtained from a board game move-recording device in order to produce an accurate record of the moves of the game. In particular, the present invention is intended for use with board games such as chess in which the game pieces move between fixed locations. Further, the present invention is intended for use with a simpler and less expensive class of board game move-recording devices that are capable of detecting the presence or absence of a game piece on any one of the game board's fixed locations, but which are not further capable of determining the identity of the detected piece. The objective of the present invention is to resolve any ambiguities found in the move information produced by those devices and, thereby, enable those devices to produce complete and accurate game records.

Abstract: A method for playing a card game between a dealer and each of at least one players includes dealing by the dealer, from a deck of cards, a hand of cards to the dealer and to each of the at least one players. At least one card of the dealer's hand is exposed. Each of the players' hands is arranged into a high hand and a low hand. The low hand has fewer player cards than the high hand. The dealer's hand is arranged into a high hand and a low hand. The low hand has fewer player cards than the high hand. An outcome of the card game is determined by comparing the arranged dealer's low hand and the arranged dealer's high hand with the corresponding arranged low and high hands of each of the at least one players.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments described herein relate to gaming machines and/or table games having interfaces provided thereto so as to allow players to control their participation in base games and random rewards scenarios. More particularly, an interface provided to the gaming machines and/or table games enables separate and/or separable credit meters to be maintained such that players may determine whether, and to what extent, to allocate credits to base games and one or more random rewards scenarios. This advantageously provides players with further control over their gaming opportunities. Also, certain exemplary embodiments may enable players to wager credits in excess of those capped by a particular gaming machine or table game. This advantageously provides additional revenue possibilities for gaming operators.

Abstract: Games related to the provision of information are described. Games may be formulated to exploit biases such as long shot bias and favorite bias. Games related to the provision of information are described. Games may be formulated to exploit biases relating to the Monty Hall paradox. Games related to the provision of information are described. Games may include wagering on hands of cards, e.g., poker wagering games.

Abstract: A game apparatus generates control point data for forming a contour of each part of a character, generates a line model of a body being a line polygon model along the body on the basis of the control point data, then generates a line model of a foot being a line polygon model along a contour of one foot, and arranged at the back of the line model of the body Bd in a Z direction, and generates a mask model of the body being a transparent polygon model arranged at the back of the line model of the body in the Z direction and in front of the line model of the foot in the Z direction, and having the contour along the line of the body. Then, when the respective models are depicted with a Z comparison performed after depicting a background, the mask model of the body, the line model of the foot, the line model of the body are depicted in this order.

Abstract: A handheld device in communication with a tote board of at a pari-mutuel wagering event receives data concerning the competitive entries and the odds associated with each entry. For each event, a total bet is determined and a subset of entries picked for which the total bet is to be allocated among. A computation is made as to the allocation based on the current odds of each entry and the desired rate of return on the total bet if any of the selected entries wins. The bet and entry data is then uploaded to the tote board at which it is accepted and entered.

Abstract: A game apparatus includes a CPU, and the CPU acquires character information data from another game apparatus by executing communication processing. Furthermore, the CPU calculates character information data from image data obtained by imaging a QR Code with a camera and acquires the same. The CPU generates a character on the basis of the character information data, and displays the generated character on a second LCD.

Abstract: A gaming machine and method are disclosed. A selected symbol is displayed in a non-revealed manner, for example on a display, a player having nominated at least one characteristic of the symbol. If the selected symbol is revealed to have the nominated characteristic a prize is awarded to the player, and if the symbol is revealed to be a special symbol a game controller awards the player a feature outcome that comprises a plurality of bonus plays of a feature game that includes at least one special symbol. Progression to the next bonus play in the plurality of bonus plays is dependent on selection of the special symbol.

Abstract: A gaming device displays a symbol matrix including a plurality of symbol positions and at least two symbol staging areas, each symbol staging area including at least one supplemental symbol potentially shiftable into the symbol matrix. The gaming device displays a symbol staging area indicator. For a play of a game, the gaming device generates a symbol in each symbol position of the symbol matrix. Upon an occurrence of a triggering condition, the gaming device indicates one of the symbol staging areas using the symbol staging area indicator and removes at least one symbol from at least one symbol position of the symbol matrix. The gaming device re-populates the empty symbol positions by shifting any appropriate symbols of the symbol matrix any appropriate empty symbol positions, and thereafter shifting at least one supplemental symbol from the indicated symbol staging area into at least one remaining empty symbol position.

Abstract: A game device is provided. The game device includes a pass target selector, an operated target switcher, a first player controller, and a second player controller. The pass target selector selects a player character to be a pass target in a case where a first player character is in possession of a moving object. The switcher switches the user operated target from the first player character to a second player character. The first player controller moves the first player character and the moving object after switching, based on a position of an opponent player character, determines whether positions of the first player character or the moving object and the second character satisfy a condition, and causes, if the condition is satisfied, the first player character to make a pass to the second player character. The second player controller moves the second player character after switching.

Abstract: Example embodiments herein include a license manager process that receives a license query from a server device. The license query requests usage data associated with a permanent license on a client device. In response to receiving the license query, the license manager procures the usage data associated with the permanent license on the client device. The license manager then transmits the usage data associated with the permanent license to the server device. Furthermore, the license manager receives a revocation request from the server device. In this manner, the revocation request is received in response to transmitting the usage data associated with the permanent license to the server device. In turn, the license manager revokes the permanent license that was indicated in the revocation request to disable use of the respective application on the client device.

Abstract: A slot machine 10 includes: reels 101-105 each having symbols 501; backlight devices M7 which individually light the symbols 501; a display window 150 which displays the symbols 501; and a motherboard 70 programmed to run a game in which the reels 101-105 are rotated to rearrange the symbols 501, and a prize is awarded according to a combination of the symbols 501. The motherboard 70 (a1) drives and rotating the reels 101-105; (a2) stops the rotation of a predetermined reel; (a3) causes a backlight source M70 of a backlight device M7, which corresponds to a winning-related symbol 501 out of the symbols 501 rearranged, to be in an on-state while causing a backlight source M70 of a backlight device M7 corresponding to a non-winning-related symbol 501 to be in an off-state; and (a4) executes (a3) every time the rotation of at least one of the reels 101-105 is stopped.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and machine-readable media including instructions for publishing gaming content are described herein. In one embodiment, a machine-readable medium includes instructions for detecting new gaming content and creating a gaming content publication indicating that the new gaming content is available. The machine-readable medium also includes instructions for transmitting the gaming system publication to a gaming network component.