System and method for live interactive remote gaming using casino-based proxies

A method for playing a game of chance at a gaming table run by a banker, said method enabling a plurality of remote players to play from locations remote from said gaming table, said method comprising the steps of:

• Establishing a proxy at said gaming table;
• Associating said remote players with said proxy;
• Placing a wager by said proxy;
• Placing a wager by each of said remote players;
• Distributing a plurality of encoded gaming objects to at least said proxy and said banker;
• Detecting the value of each of said plurality of encoded gaming objects;
• Transmitting, to each remote player, the value of each of said plurality of encoded gaming objects distributed to said proxy;
• Requesting said proxy to determine how to play the game of chance;
• Based on said determination, paying said proxy and said remote players if the play of the game of chance wins;
• and
• Collecting the wagers from said proxy and said remote players if the play of the game of chance does not win.

A gaming machine system for enabling remote play of a game of chance by a physical player at a casino and a plurality of remote players, said gaming machine system comprising:

• a server associated with said casino for tracking the play of said physical player and the results of each game of chance;
• a housing for said gaming machine:
• means for providing a game of chance and for transmitting the results of said play to said server, said providing means including a user interface to enable said physical player to initiate the play of said game of chance, said providing means located in the interior of said housing;
• a display, coupled to said providing means and mounted on the housing, for displaying the play of said game of chance to said physical player;
• a non-contact reader circuit, coupled to said providing means, for receiving information identifying said physical player, said information retained on an encoded device associated with said physical player, said encoded device adapted to transfer said information when proximate to said reader circuit, said reader circuit adapted to transfer said information to said providing means upon receipt, said reader circuit located in the interior of said housing;
• a communications network for coupling said providing means to said server so that said information may be transferred from said gaming machine to said server;
• and
• means, coupled to said server by said communications network, for communicating the play of each game of chance and the result of each play to said remote players.

A system for playing a game of chance from a remote location comprising:

• a gaming table having a plurality of defined positions for playing a game of chance, at least one of which is adapted for use by a proxy;
• a first video camera for generating an image of said gaming table;
• a second video camera for generating an image of said proxy;
• means, associated with said proxy, for detecting audible sounds generated by said proxy and by the ambient surroundings;
• a network manager coupled to said gaming table for detecting the results of said game of chance, said network manager having a communication link for transfer of said images and said audible sound to said network manager;
• and
• a gaming machine remote from said gaming table coupled to said network manager, said gaming machine adapted to selectively display the video images from said first and second video camera and for broadcasting said audible sounds upon receipt from said network manager.

In a real-time interactive gaming system having a plurality of live action gaming machines adapted for play by a plurality of remote players, where each remote player may place wagers on a selected game of chance being conducted by at least one of said gaming machines, said real-time interactive gaming system having means for transmitting broadcast quality signals of the live action play of the game of chance to each of said remote players, said real-time interactive gaming system comprising:

• means for detecting the presence of a proxy playing a game of chance at said at least one of said gaming machines;
• means for associating said proxy with said remote players;
• detector means associated with said at least one of said gaming machines for automatically detecting the outcome of each play of the game of chance;
• and
• a game manager, coupled to said detector means, for associating the detected values with the wagers received from said remote players.