Method of utilizing a universal casino cash card

Abstract

An exemplary method of utilizing a universal casino cash card by a consumer at member casinos that includes purchasing a casino cash card by a consumer at a member office using a credit card or cash. The deducting of service charges from the casino cash card by the member office and forwarding the remaining consumer funds to a central casino office for crediting the account of the user's casino cash card to be used at a member casino. The using of the casino cash card at the member casino by a consumer to play, gamble, or purchase goods or services at the member casino. The reviewing of status of the casino cash card at a gaming terminal to obtain the status or history of transactions made, winnings, losses, and purchases of goods and services The securing of the casino cash card by placing a security device on the casino cash card.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method of utilizing a universal cash casino card having a prepaid amount of cash value assigned to the card, such that the prepaid card can be used for gambling credit at the casino for slot machines, poker, craps, twenty-one (blackjack) and the like. More particularly, the universal casino cash card can also be used at member casinos for services, purchases, products, restaurants and gambling, such that the value amount used would be automatically deducted from the card, until the balance is used up.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Credit cards, gift cards, and various store prepaid cards used for shopping, dining, golf, vacations, entertainment and services are well-known in the art. Such gift cards (except for credit cards) have not been available for use in gambling at the various casinos throughout the United States. Casinos would like an opportunity to expand their business at their gaming tables and slot machines, as well as at their retail shops, spas, salons and restaurants by having their patrons involved further.

There remains a need for a universal casino cash card that would be easy and convenient to use, easily replaced when lost or stolen and renewable when the user's funds have been depleted. Additionally, the universal casino cash card would be used by a patron from an identified member casino in order to place wagers at gaming venues, such as slot machines, video poker, poker, blackjack, roulette and the like, as well as for purchasing goods and/or services at the member casino by the patron.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Methods for providing goods and services using private currency, redemption cards, house cards having various systems and methods of utilization have been disclosed in the prior art. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. U.S. 2005/0124408 to VLAZNY et al. discloses systems and methods for accessing, manipulating and using funds associated with pari-mutual wagering. One method utilizes a house card associated with an account set up by a patron at a pari-mutual gaming establishment, such as a horse or dog racing track. The house card may be used to place wagers at a gaming terminal and, additionally, for the purchase of goods and/or services, accessing additional informational displays, or accessing secure special areas at the pari-mutual gaming establishment. The house card acts as a cash substitute wherein the patron's account may be automatically updated with all of the patron's wins, losses, and purchases via a network system or updated on the card itself using smart card technology. This prior art reference does not teach or disclose the methodology of utilizing a casino cash card of the present invention.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. U.S. 2005/0177519 to BLOCK discloses a game world operating system. The system includes an exemplary method for a commercial entity to provide goods and services in exchange for private currency, including providing a customer with private currency in exchange for government currency, wherein the private currency is acceptable to the commercial entity to pay for goods and services provided by the commercial entity, and providing goods and services to the customer in exchange for an amount of the private currency, wherein the commercial entity does not provide government currency to the customer in exchange for an amount of private currency. This prior art reference does not teach or disclose the methodology of utilizing a casino cash card of the present invention.

None of the prior art references teach or disclose an exemplary method of utilizing a universal casino cash card by a consumer at a member casino for gambling, and/or the purchase of goods and services at the member casino.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an exemplary method of using a universal casino cash card by a patron from an identified member casino in order to place wagers at a gaming venue (such as slot machines, blackjack, poker and the like), or for purchasing goods or services at the member casino by the patron.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a universal casino cash card that enables the consumer to purchase the casino cash card at a member office using cash or credit card, such that the member office deducts service charges associated with the card and forwards the remaining consumer funds to a central finance casino office for crediting the account of the user's casino cash card to be used at a member casino.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a universal casino cash card that allows the reviewing of the current status of the casino cash card at a gaming terminal in order to obtain the status or history of transactions made of winnings, losses, and purchases of goods and services made at the member casino.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a universal casino cash card that secures the card by placing a security device on the backside of the card, such that the security device is selected from the group consisting of a bar code, a magnetic strip, a microchip, an electronic hologram, a fingerprint scan, and equivalents thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a universal casino cash card that is easy and convenient to use, easily replaced when lost or stolen, and renewable when the funds have been depleted.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a universal casino cash card that can be mass-produced in an automated and economical manner and is readily affordable at various cash denominations by the consumer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an exemplary method of utilizing a universal casino cash card by a consumer at member casinos that includes purchasing a casino cash card by a consumer at a member office using a credit card or cash. The deducting of service charges from the casino cash card by the member office and forwarding the remaining consumer funds to a central casino office for crediting the account of the user's casino cash card to be used at a member casino. The using of the casino cash card at the member casino by a consumer to play, gamble, or purchase goods or services at the member casino. The reviewing of status of the casino cash card at a gaming terminal to obtain the status or history of transactions made, winnings, losses, and purchases of goods and services. The securing of the casino cash card by placing a security device on the back side of the casino cash card.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon the consideration of the following detailed description of the presently-preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the universal casino cash card of the preferred embodiment showing the details of the front side of the casino cash card;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the universal casino cash card of the present invention showing the details of the backside of the casino cash card;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the method of utilizing the universal casino cash card of the present invention showing the steps purchasing, deducting, using, reviewing and securing that are performed in the process of using the casino cash card of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of the method of utilizing the universal casino cash card of the present invention showing the flow of cash funds from a member office to a central casino office to a member casino.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The universal casino cash card 10 and its component parts of the preferred embodiment of the present invention are represented in detail by FIGS. 1 and 2 of the patent drawings. The method 100 of utilizing the universal casino cash card 10 having various processing and operational steps are disclosed in the preferred embodiment of the present invention and is represented in detail by FIGS. 3 and 4 of the patent drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the universal casino cash card 10 includes a front side surface 22 and a rear side surface 24. The front side 22 includes a company name 26 of the card 10, a logo 28 representing the card 10, an identification number 30 of the user, a user's name 32 and/or a user's company/corporate name 34 and a user's validation date 36. The front side 22 also includes a company's hologram logo 38 for security purposes. The rear side 24 includes a magnetic strip 42, a signature block area 44 having the user's signature 46 therein, and a pin number 48 thereon. The rear side 24 further includes a fingerprint scan 52 for security purposes and the company's name, address, and phone number indicia 54 thereon. Additionally, the card 10 could include other security features such as a bar code, a microchip, an electronic hologram or other biological/physiological scans for preventing theft or identifying a lost or stolen card 10. The rear side 24 of card 10 could also include names of member casinos 62 that accept the use of the universal casino cash card 10 at its premises.

OPERATION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The method 100 of utilizing the universal casino cash card 10 by a consumer 102 at member casinos 128 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings. This process and procedure 100 includes the following steps of purchasing 110; deducting 120; using 130; reviewing 140; securing 150; and identifying 160.

To start this process 100, for step 110 of purchasing, the consumer 102 initially purchases the casino cash card 10 at a member office 112 using a credit card 104 or cash 106. The member office 112 can be selected from the group consisting of a member casino 128, a retail store 114, a restaurant 115, or a spa 116. The step 120 of deducting includes the subtraction of service charges 122 at the member office 112 and forwarding the remaining consumer funds 124 to a central casino financial office 126 for crediting the account 127 of the user's casino cash card 10 to be used at a member casino 128.

The consumer 102 now proceeds to initiate steps 130 of using, wherein the consumer 102 uses the casino cash card 10 at the member casino 128 in order to play, gamble 132 or purchase goods 134 or services 136 at the member casino 128. The step of reviewing 140 includes the review and status of the user's casino cash card 10 at a gaming terminal 142 to obtain the status or history of transactions 144 made for winnings 146, losses 148 and for purchases of goods 134 and/or services 136.

It should also be understood that ATM machines may be used in place of the gaming terminal 142, to obtain the same information previously mentioned, including transactions for winnings 146, losses 148 and for purchases of goods 134 and/or services 136.

The process 100 also includes the step of securing 150 of the casino cash card 10 by a security device 152 on the card 10. Such security devices 152 include a bar code 153, a magnetic strip 154, a microchip 155, an electronic hologram 156, a fingerprint scan 157, or a biological/physiological scan 158. The process 100 further includes the step of identifying 160 one or more of the authorized member casinos 162 on the casino cash card 10.

As shown in FIG. 4, the flow of funds 104/106 is depicted in this flow chart 200 demonstrating how the funds 104/106 are processed at a member office 112, such as at a hotel 128, a retail store 114, or a restaurant 115, where then the aforementioned funds 104/106 are transferred to a central casino finance office 120. The consumer 102 can now proceed to use the casino cash card 10 at various member casinos 128, and periodically check the status of funds 104/106 at a card reading gaming terminal 142.

ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Accordingly, an advantage of the present invention is that it provides for an exemplary method of using a universal casino cash card by a patron from an identified member casino in order to place wagers at a gaming venue (such as slot machines, blackjack, poker and the like), or for purchasing goods or services at the member casino by the patron.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a universal casino cash card that enables the consumer to purchase the casino cash card at a member office using cash or credit card, such that the member office deducts services charges associated with the card and forwards the remaining consumer funds to a central finance casino office for crediting the account of the user's casino cash card to be used at a member casino.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a universal casino cash card that allows the reviewing of the current status of the casino cash card at a gaming terminal in order to obtain the status or history of transactions made of winnings, losses, and purchases of goods and services made at the member casino.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a universal casino cash card that secures the card by placing a security device on the backside of the card, such that the security device is selected from the group consisting of a bar code, a magnetic strip, a microchip, an electronic hologram, a fingerprint scan, and equivalents thereof.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a universal casino cash card that is easy and convenient to use, easily replaced when lost or stolen, and renewable when the funds have been depleted.

A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a universal casino cash card that can be mass-produced in an automated and economical manner and is readily affordable at various cash denominations by the consumer.

A latitude of modification, change, and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in some instances, some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

Claims

1. A method of utilizing a universal casino cash card, by a consumer at member casinos, comprising the steps of:

a) purchasing a casino cash card by a consumer at a member office using a credit card or cash; wherein said member office is selected from the group consisting of said member casino, a retail store, a restaurant, and a spa;

b) deducting service charges by said member office and forwarding the remaining consumer funds to a central casino office for crediting the account of the user's casino cash card to be used at a member casino;

c) using said casino cash card at said member casino by a consumer to play, gamble, or purchase goods or services at said member casino;

d) reviewing the status of said casino cash card at a gaming terminal to obtain the status or history of transactions made, winnings, losses, and purchases of goods and services; and

e) securing said casino cash card by placing a security device on said casino cash card; wherein said security device is selected from the group consisting of a bar code, a magnetic strip, a micro chip, an electronic hologram, a fingerprint scan, a biological scan, and a physiological scan.

2. (canceled)

3. A method of utilizing a universal casino cash card in accordance with the method of claim 1, further including the step of identifying the authorized member casinos on said casino cash card.

4. (canceled)