Abstract: A set of one or more financial instruments corresponding to a particular affinity group of insurance policies may be created and offered. One or more parties may be procured as investors in at least a portion of the set of financial instruments, thereby securitizing the risk associated with the insurance policies. Profits and/or losses generated by the insurance policies of the affinity group corresponding to the financial instruments may be distributed in accordance with the terms of the financial agreement.

Abstract: Multiple insurance policies may be grouped or segmented into affinity groups, each of which corresponds to a respective risk level. A set of one or more financial instruments corresponding to a particular affinity group of insurance policies may be created and offered. One or more parties may be procured as investors in at least a portion of the set of financial instruments, thereby securitizing the risk associated with the insurance policies. Profits and/or losses generated by the insurance policies of the affinity group corresponding to the financial instruments may be distributed in accordance with the terms of the financial agreement.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes dividing insurance policies into multiple policy groups based at least upon one or more characteristics of the insurance policies and/or consumers, auctioning an opportunity to reinsure at least a portion of liabilities associated with one or more of the policy groups, receiving one or more bids for purchase and/or offers of reinsurance for the policy groups, accepting a winning bid of the one or more bids, and causing reinsurance to be provided for insurance policies associated with a particular policy group corresponding to the winning bid, thereby providing lower cost reinsurance and/or reinsurance that is more reflective of actual risk associated with the policies in the particular policy group.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes dividing consumers into multiple affinity groups based upon characteristics and preferences of the consumers, at least by analyzing the characteristics and/or preferences using a machine learning model. The method also includes auctioning an opportunity to provide insurance for one or more of the affinity groups, receiving one or more bids for purchase and/or offers of insurance for the one or more of the affinity groups, and accepting a winning bid.

Abstract: Blockchain techniques for providing insurance to an affinity group may include an enforcement server that receives a plurality of bidding actions (e.g., bid or no-bid) from a plurality of bidding entities in response to an auction of an opportunity to provide insurance for members of the affinity group. The server may compile transactions corresponding to the received bidding actions into a block of transactions (e.g., a round of bidding), distribute the block of transactions to validation entities to form a consensus on the highest bid, and update copies of a distributed ledger with the block of transactions. The server may identify a winning bid and provide affinity group member data to the winning bidding entity, thereby providing consumers with lower cost insurance and/or insurance that is more reflective of actual risk (or lack thereof). The affinity group may be updated over time and re-auctioned using the blockchain techniques.

Abstract: Chip racks include a rack for holding chips and a card reader. Gaming devices may include such chip racks.

Abstract: Techniques for obtaining and/or maintaining insurance coverage include receiving insurance policy preferences for a customer, storing the insurance policy preferences in a customer profile database, and using the insurance policy preferences to automatically obtain a first insurance policy from a first insurance provider, where the first insurance policy has (i) first policy features, and (ii) a first premium corresponding to a first policy term. Automatically obtaining the first insurance policy includes receiving, from each of a plurality of insurance provider computer systems associated with the plurality of respective insurance providers, a quote indicating one or more policy features corresponding to a policy term, selecting one of the quotes from the plurality of respective insurance providers based on the one or more policy features for the quote and the insurance policy preferences for the customer, and notifying the customer of the first insurance provider and the first premium.

Abstract: An intermediary entity may act on behalf of consumers to find Usage-Based Insurance (UBI) that best or optimally meet the consumers' UBI preferences and/or characteristics. Based upon an analysis of individual UBI consumer characteristics and/or preferences, each individual UBI consumer may be grouped with other UBI consumers having similar characteristics and/or UBI preferences. For at least one individual assigned a first UBI policy group or segment, intermediary entity may determine that a UBI preference or characteristic of the individual has changed, divide or segment the individual into a second UBI policy group or segment based on the changed UBI preference or characteristic, and update or provide a UBI policy for the individual associated with the second UBI policy group or segment.

Abstract: Techniques for obtaining and/or maintaining insurance coverage include receiving customer information for customers including insurance policy preferences or characteristics for each customer. These techniques further include grouping the customers into affinity groups by generating a set of preferences or characteristics for each affinity group, comparing the insurance policy preferences or characteristics for each customer to the set of preferences or characteristics for each affinity group, and assigning a customer to an affinity group in response to determining that at least a threshold number of insurance policy preferences or characteristics for the customer matches the set of preferences or characteristics for the affinity group. For at least one affinity group, an insurance provider is selected for providing an insurance policy to each of the customers in the affinity group, and each of the customers in the affinity group is notified of the selected insurance provider and the premium.

Abstract: Chip racks include a rack for holding chips and a card reader. Gaming devices may include such chip racks.

Abstract: Multiple insurance policies may be grouped or segmented into affinity groups, each of which corresponds to a respective risk level. A set of financial instruments corresponding to a particular affinity group of insurance policies may be created and automatically offered for auction, e.g., online. Bids received from potential investors may indicate, e.g., percentage of assumed risk, percentage of profit sharing, percentage of shared loss, service or commission fee amounts, etc. that are acceptable to the bidding party. The party or parties submitting the winning bids may be awarded investment in the financial instruments and may enter into respective financial agreements with the financial instrument provider, thereby securitizing the risk associated with the insurance policies. Profits and/or losses generated by the insurance policies of the affinity group corresponding to the financial instruments may be distributed in accordance with the terms of the financial agreement.

Abstract: Blockchain techniques for providing insurance to an affinity group may include an enforcement server that receives a plurality of bidding actions (e.g., bid or no-bid) from a plurality of bidding entities in response to an auction of an opportunity to provide insurance for members of the affinity group. The server may compile transactions corresponding to the received bidding actions into a block of transactions (e.g., a round of bidding), distribute the block of transactions to validation entities to form a consensus on the highest bid, and update copies of a distributed ledger with the block of transactions. The server may identify a winning bid and provide affinity group member data to the winning bidding entity, thereby providing consumers with lower cost insurance and/or insurance that is more reflective of actual risk (or lack thereof). The affinity group may be updated over time and re-auctioned using the blockchain techniques.

Abstract: Chip racks include a rack for holding chips and a card reader. Gaming devices may include such chip racks.

Abstract: Chip racks include a rack for holding chips and a card reader. Gaming devices may include such chip racks.

Abstract: Integrated blackjack hole card readers and chip racks, and novel locking cover assemblies, are disclosed. In one embodiment, a chip rack of standard configuration is provided, and defines a cutout into which the reader can be placed. In another embodiment, the chip rack and reader are molded as a single unit. A removable locking cover is also disclosed which can be used to cover chip racks any time they are not in use.

Abstract: Integrated blackjack hole card readers and chip racks, and novel locking cover assemblies, are disclosed. In one embodiment, a chip rack of standard configuration is provided, and defines a cutout into which the reader can be placed. In another embodiment, the chip rack and reader are molded as a single unit. A removable locking cover is also disclosed which can be used to cover chip racks any time they are not in use.

Abstract: Integrated blackjack hole card readers and chip racks, and novel locking cover assemblies, are disclosed. In one embodiment of the hole card reader and chip rack, a chip rack of standard configuration is provided, and defines a cutout into which the reader can be placed. In another embodiment, the chip rack and reader are molded as a single unit. A removable locking cover is also disclosed which can be used to cover chip racks any time they are not in use.