Abstract: A gaming system for conducting a multi-player wagering game includes a multi-touch table surface that is touched by a handheld electronic wager input device (EWID) carried by a player for placing wagers on a wagering game displayed on the multi-touch table surface. Each EWID carried by a player has an associated unique identification code, which is linked to the respective player's account. Players indicate an amount to be wagered by touching the EWID to designated wager amount areas, then place the wager by touching the EWID to a designated wagering area. Because each EWID is uniquely associable with distinct player accounts, the gaming system can support any number of players placing wagers. The funds remain safe in the player account and no funds are stored on the EWID. Only the identification code is detected, which is compared with the associated player account before allowing that player to place wagers.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes displaying a community game on at least one display device. Dependent upon a first player playing an underlying wagering game via a first terminal, the first player is permitted to participate in the community game. The community game is distinct from the underlying wagering game. Not dependent upon a second player playing an underlying wagering game via a second terminal, the second player is permitted to participate in the community game.

Abstract: A gaming system for conducting a wagering game includes a handheld gaming machine configured to play at least one game and a controller. The controller is configured to base eligibility of the handheld gaming machine for a game-related feature at least upon a location of the handheld gaming machine.

Abstract: A wagering game system configured to perform operations including receiving application data provided from multiple applications on a wagering game machine. The application data can indicate needs by the multiple applications to present content on the wagering game machine. The operations can also include prioritizing the presentation of the content based on control rules that govern interoperability between the multiple applications. The operations can also include determining access rights, subscription levels, or other limitations on the multiple applications to present the content and access to each other's application data. The operations can further include presenting controls so that player accounts can modify the manner or priority of presenting the content.

Abstract: A wagering game account management system and its operations are described herein. In some examples, the operations include detecting activation of an account-augmentation mechanism by a single event at a wagering game machine. The account-augmentation mechanism indicates to initiate an electronic transfer of a set amount of funds from at least one account to a gaming account associated with the wagering game machine during a wagering game session. The operations can further include electronically accessing an account setting related to the gaming account and, determining, in response to analysis of the account setting, that the account setting indicates a restriction on use of the at least one account during the wagering game session. The operations can further include automatically applying the restriction to the transfer of the funds.

Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In some examples, the operations include connecting social network user accounts to a communal wagering game. The operations can further include determining, via a network communication interface, an electronic request associated with a first social network user account to transact an electronic exchange, with a second social network user account, of one or more non-cash items associated with the communal wagering game. The operations can further include accessing, via an electronic processing unit, a first memory storage unit of the gaming system associated with the first social network user account. The first memory storage unit specifies the one or more non-cash items. The operations can further include transacting, via the network communication interface, the electronic exchange of the one or more non-cash items between the first social network user account and the second social network user account.

Abstract: A gaming system for conducting a multi-player wagering game includes a multi-touch table surface that is touched by a handheld electronic wager input device (EWID) carried by a player for placing wagers on a wagering game displayed on the multi-touch table surface. Each EWID carried by a player has an associated unique identification code, which is linked to the respective player's account. Players indicate an amount to be wagered by touching the EWID to designated wager amount areas, then place the wager by touching the EWID to a designated wagering area. Because each EWID is uniquely associable with distinct player accounts, the gaming system can support any number of players placing wagers. The funds remain safe in the player account and no funds are stored on the EWID. Only the identification code is detected, which is compared with the associated player account before allowing that player to place wagers.

Abstract: Embodiments of the inventive subject matter include methods and systems for conducting metagames. A method can include providing a wagering game including a plurality of tasks, the plurality of tasks including a first task, a second task, and a third task, wherein the first task must be performed via a wagering game machine in a land-based casino, wherein the second task must be performed online, and wherein the third task must be performed via a ticket. The method can further include establishing a player account in at least one memory device. The method can further include determining that one or more of the plurality of tasks have been completed by a player associated with the player account. The method can further include in response to the determining, assigning an award to the player account.

Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In some embodiments, the operations can include monitoring gaming-related events at a wagering game machine of the wagering game system to detect a promotion trigger event. The operations can also include determining information associated with the promotion trigger event, and providing the information associated with the promotion trigger event to a promotional content server of the wagering game system to cause the promotional content server to select promotional content based, at least in part, on the information associated with the promotion trigger event. The operations can further include receiving the promotional content from promotional content server in response to said providing the information associated with the promotion trigger event to the promotional content server, and presenting the promotional content at the wagering game machine.

Abstract: A gaming system for conducting a wagering game includes a handheld gaming machine configured to play at least one game and a controller. The controller is configured to base eligibility of the handheld gaming machine for a game-related feature at least upon a location of the handheld gaming machine and/or a proximity of the handheld gaming machine to an external device.

Abstract: A gaming system includes one or more processors and one or more memory devices storing instructions that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the gaming system to perform a plurality of operations. The operations include awarding a plurality of points to a player, and, in response to a predetermined number of the points being redeemed by the player, accessing or modifying wagering game content.

Abstract: A publisher-subscriber architecture with standardized and/or dynamic event/message look up can be implemented on wagering game establishment networks to establish a robust and flexible reporting and reacting mechanism. This publisher subscriber architecture is extendible to allow processes to publish and subscribe to other processes in different network through an intermediary publisher/subscriber or publisher/subscriber manager.

Abstract: In at least some aspects, a method includes the acts of operating a wagering game with a player on a first game platform, suspending the wagering game operating on the first game platform at a game state, automatically authenticating the player at a second game platform different than the first game platform, resuming the wagering game from the game state on the second game platform, and operating the resumed wagering game with the player differently on the second game platform than on the first game platform, the second game platform having one or more different components than the first game platform to cause the wagering game to be operated differently on the second game platform than the first game platform.

Abstract: A method of operating a wagering game network the supports a plurality of award types.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a wagering game is presented at a wagering game machine. A wireless communication is established between the wagering game machine and a mobile device. In response to a wagering game player satisfying a wagering game criteria when playing the wagering game, access to content can be enabled on the mobile device, wherein the content is based on a context resulting from the wagering game player playing the wagering game.

Abstract: A gaming system for conducting a multi-player wagering game includes a multi-touch table surface that is touched by a handheld electronic wager input device (EWID) carried by a player for placing wagers on a wagering game displayed on the multi-touch table surface. Each EWID carried by a player has an associated unique identification code, which is linked to the respective player's account. Players indicate an amount to be wagered by touching the EWID to designated wager amount areas, then place the wager by touching the EWID to a designated wagering area. Because each EWID is uniquely associable with distinct player accounts, the gaming system can support any number of players placing wagers. The funds remain safe in the player account and no funds are stored on the EWID. Only the identification code is detected, which is compared with the associated player account before allowing that player to place wagers.

Abstract: The patent application describes techniques for distributing information in a wagering game system. One method includes identifying one or more components to notify about events occurring in a wagering game system, where the one or more components facilitate secondary wagering games. The method can also include detecting the events, where some of the events arise from presenting primary wagering games. The method can also include reporting the events to the one or more components. The method can also include determining results for one or more of the secondary wagering games; and transmitting the results for presentation.

Abstract: Gaming devices with virtualization managers are described herein. In one embodiment, a gaming device includes a plurality of operating systems, each of the operating systems to facilitate execution of one or more gaming applications. The gaming device also includes gaming device resources for use by ones of the plurality of operating systems and a virtualization manager to share the gaming device resources between the plurality of operating systems during virtually simultaneous execution of the plurality of operating systems.

Abstract: A gaming system and its operations include, for instance, providing, for presentation via one or more electronic display devices, first digital content for a first application. The first application is independent from a second application that concurrently presents second digital content. The operations can further include intercepting, by the first application via an application communication interface associated with the second application, data associated with the second digital content. The operations can further include determining, based on evaluation of the data associated with the second digital content via an electronic processing unit of the gaming system, a relationship between an aspect of the first digital content and an aspect of the second digital content. The operations can further include causing, by the first application via the electronic processing unit, the second application to automatically modify presentation of the second digital content in response to determining the relationship.

Abstract: A gaming system includes one or more processors and one or more memory devices storing instructions that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the gaming system to perform a plurality of operations. The operations include awarding a plurality of points to a player, and, in response to a predetermined number of the points being redeemed by the player, accessing or modifying wagering game content.