Abstract: Gifting in a gaming environment may be managed by determining a transfer of a gift value from a first player account to a second player account and determining a wager of the gift value from the second player account in a wagering game. A gift win amount attributable to a winning outcome of the wagering game when the gift value is used may be determined, and respective shares of the gift win amount may be allocated to the first and second player accounts.

Abstract: The document describes operations for managing online wagering game casinos. In some embodiments of the inventive subject matter, the operations include presenting wagering games to players in an online casino; facilitating messaging between the players and a wagering game attendant; reporting results of the wagering games to the attendant; and detecting, from the wagering game attendant, a request to present a community bonus opportunity to one or more of the players. The operations can also include presenting the community bonus opportunity to the players; detecting responses to the community bonus opportunity, wherein the responses are associated with the players; determining one or more winners of prizes offered in the community bonus opportunity; and awarding the prizes to the one or more winners.

Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations can include receiving login information to log in to an online gaming venue and determining a player account associated with the login information. The operations can also include presenting the online gaming venue on a personal computing device associated with the player account. The online gaming venue can include casino related data that indicates ambience of a gambling environment (e.g., a casino, a poker room, etc.), interactive objects to interact with the player account, and communication functions to share recorded activity and other personal information, between the player account and other player accounts within the online gaming venue. In some embodiments, the operations can also include determining indications of player emotions and presenting multi-media files in conjunction with player avatars to represent the indicated emotions within the online gaming venue.

Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations are described. In some embodiments, the operations include receiving a message that was published from a social-communication application of a social network website, selecting a first phrase (e.g., promotional expression, by a user, regarding the wagering game venue) from the message, and comparing the first phrase to a plurality of second phrases (e.g., characteristics associated with a wagering game venue) accessible via a wagering game server. The operations can further include detecting that the first phrase is substantially similar to at least one of the plurality of the second phrases, and providing an award (e.g., loyalty points) in response. In some embodiments, the value of the award is based on a condition associated with the message, publication of the message, etc.

Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations can include determining that an event occurs to a wagering game player account during a wagering game session, determining a player-owned social network account associated with the wagering game player account, connecting to the player-owned social network account, and presenting a notification of the event on the player-owned social network account. In some embodiments, the operations can also include providing social network rewards and wagering game awards for the event to the player-owned social network account, or to other social network accounts associated with the player-owned social network account. In some embodiments, the operations can also include determining social activity performed by the other social network accounts and presenting notifications of the social activity by the other social network accounts to the wagering game player account during the wagering game session.

Abstract: Described are one or more embodiments that include a browser application (“browser”) with a first part (e.g., a toolbar, a dropdown, a pop-up, a widget, etc.) that presents first content associated with one or more wagering games and a second part (e.g., a main content display area) that concurrently presents second content independently from presentation of the first content in the first part of the browser. In some embodiments, the first content and second content are from separate content providers. Some embodiments are directed to determining, based on concurrent presentation of the first content and the second content, that one or more awards are available from a first of the content providers conditional upon performance of one or more activities indicated by a second of the content providers, and the browser application presents one or more indicators to indicate the one or more awards and/or the one or more activities.

Abstract: Described are one or more embodiments that include a browser application (“browser”) with multiple parts. A first part of the browser (e.g., a toolbar, a dropdown, a pop-up, a widget, etc.) presents first content associated with one or more wagering games. Concurrently a second part of the browser (e.g., a main content display area) presents second content independently from presentation of the first content in the first part of the browser. In some embodiments, the first content and second content are from separate content providers with a marketing relationship. In some embodiments, in response to concurrent presentation of the first and second content, the browser application detects the marketing relationship between the content providers and presents one or more indicators. The one or more indicators indicate the marketing relationship. For example, the indicators can indicate cross-marketing, available coupons, and/or awards available via the first or second content.

Abstract: The document describes operations for managing online wagering game casinos. In some embodiments of the inventive subject matter, the operations include presenting wagering games to players in an online casino; facilitating messaging between the players and a wagering game attendant; reporting results of the wagering games to the attendant; and detecting, from the wagering game attendant, a request to present a community bonus opportunity to one or more of the players. The operations can also include presenting the community bonus opportunity to the players; detecting responses to the community bonus opportunity, wherein the responses are associated with the players; determining one or more winners of prizes offered in the community bonus opportunity; and awarding the prizes to the one or more winners.

Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In some embodiments, the operations can include providing a social communications interface (e.g., a chat interface) for presentation via a wagering game session. The wagering game session is associated with a wagering game player account. The operations can further include selecting, in response to user input via the social communications interface, a representation of a social contact of the wagering game player account. The user input indicates a request to follow social communications made by the social contact, which social communications are not directly addressed to the wagering game player account. The operations can further include providing, for presentation via the social communications interface, the social communications made by the social contact.

Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations can include providing a virtual wagering game machine for presentation in a virtual wagering game environment and determining an indication, associated with a user account, to purchase one or more rights to control one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine. The operations can further include detecting payment of a purchase value from the user account, and granting the one or more rights to control the one or more features of the virtual wagering game machine to the user account in response to detecting the payment of the purchase value.

Abstract: A wagering game machine configured to present a wagering game upon which monetary value may be wagered receives a layout description for a first set of image components defines one or more placeholder areas. A first executable component renders a portion of the first set of image components in accordance with the layout description. A natively executed wagering game application renders a second set of image components defined independently from the layout description within the placeholder areas. The first executable component renders a second portion of the first set of images over the images rendered by the natively executed wagering game application.

Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In some embodiments, the operations can include connecting a wagering game to a chat session and receiving a textual game command for the wagering game from a chat message sent via the chat session. The operations can further include activating a wagering game function for the wagering game in response to receiving the textual game command via the chat message.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes creating, by at least one processor, an online presence for a wagering game machine. The method also includes publishing wagering game activity that has occurred at the wagering game machine to the online presence for the wagering game machine.

Abstract: A method comprises receiving a feed of a number of messages providing notification of wagering game activity, wherein the wagering game activity occurred via at least one of a wagering game machine at a wagering game establishment and an online wagering game website. The method includes storing the number of messages. The method includes filtering the number of messages to create a subset of messages, wherein the filtering is based on at least one of an operator criteria and a player criteria. The operator criteria and the player criteria comprises at least one of a jackpot win, a progressive win, an entry into a bonus round, and a win where a monetary amount won exceeds a threshold multiplier of an amount wagered. The method includes publishing the subset of messages to a computing device associated with the wagering game player.

Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In some embodiments, the operations can include determining a player account logged on to a wagering game network, determining a chat session initiated by the player account via the wagering game network; and determining wagering game news events to present via a gaming chat console for the chat session. The operations can also include automatically adjusting presentation requirements for the wagering game news events based on quantifiable player factors. In some embodiments, the operations can also include presenting an interactive game bot via the gaming chat console as a social contact, receiving textual chat game commands communicated to the interactive game bot, and controlling a wagering game via the textual chat game commands. In some embodiments, the operations can also include following chat activity for the selected chat social-contact groups and integrating chat activity with client applications and devices.

Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations can include determining a player avatar population in a location of a virtual wagering game environment and determining a wagering game machine object supply in the location of the virtual wagering game environment. The wagering game machine object supply is an amount of available wagering game machine objects within a boundary of the location. The operations can further include determining a supply availability ratio, where the supply availability ratio indicates a restriction on the amount of the available wagering game machine objects in the location compared to the player avatar population. The operations can further include determining that the wagering game machine object supply is not compliant with the supply availability ratio and modifying the wagering game machine object supply to comply with the supply availability ratio.

Abstract: A browser application and toolbar are described according to some embodiments. The browser application presents wagering game content in a toolbar. Some embodiments are directed to determining that a first player account uses the toolbar to access the wagering game content, determining that a second player account referred the first player account in response to determination that the first player account uses the toolbar, and providing a referral award to the second player account for referring the first player account.

Abstract: A network browser and wagering game toolbar (“toolbar”) are described herein. The network browser has a main display area that can display content. The toolbar can be in, or a part of, the network browser. The network browser and the toolbar can receive and display content. Specifically, the toolbar can receive and display wagering game content from a wagering game network as the main display area can receive and display content originating outside the wagering game network. In some embodiments, the toolbar can present content originating from one or more wagering game player accounts that provide audience participation in, or related to, wagering game activity presented on the toolbar.

Abstract: A method includes defining a number of locations in an online immersive environment, wherein each of the number of locations includes a number of games. The defining includes defining a rule set for a location. The rule set includes a rule that defines access to a game. The access to the game is based on game play of a different game. The method includes defining a number of paths between the number of locations in the online immersive environment, wherein the defining includes defining a rule for access to a path to travel between two locations. The method includes presenting a different game that is part of a location in the online immersive environment. The method includes enabling access to the game in the location, in response to determining that game play of the different game satisfies the rule that defines access to the game.

Abstract: A network browser and toolbar objects are described herein. The network browser has a main display area that can display content. The toolbar objects can be on a toolbar that is a part of the network browser. The toolbar objects indicate information associated with wagering games. The network browser and the toolbar objects can receive and display content. Specifically, the toolbar objects can process and present wagering games using wagering game play elements (e.g., icons, graphics, etc.) on the toolbar. The toolbar can also have controls, configurations and settings associated with the toolbar, which the toolbar can communicate to a wagering game provider to determine game results. The toolbar can use the controls, configurations, and settings to affect the presentation of wagering game information on the toolbar, to control the presentation of game results using the wagering game play elements, etc.