Gaming facility and method of operation thereof

A method for configuring a processor module for a player station operable by a player to play a game thereon, comprising the steps of:

• providing a software program executable to generate a simulation of the game;
• obtaining a unique identification code associated with the processor module;
• encrypting the software program remotely from the processor module as a function of the unique identification code;
• transferring the encrypted software program to the processor module;
• decrypting the encrypted software program to obtain a decrypted identification code therefrom;
• and
• enabling execution of the encrypted software program by the processor module when the decrypted identification code is the same as the unique identification code of the processor module and disabling execution of the encrypted software program by the processor module when the decrypted identification code is different from the unique identification code of the processor module.

A system for customisation and distribution of software, comprising:

• a number of player stations, each player station being operable by a respective player to play a corresponding game, each player station being associated with a unique identification code;
• a repository containing 3 number of different software programs, each software program being executable by at least one of the number of player stations to generate a simulation of a different game;
• a download server communicable with the repository;
• a communication network enabling communication between the download server and each one of the number of player stations;
• encryption means operable to encrypt, remotely from the number of player stations, a selectable one of the number of different software programs contained in the repository as a function of the unique identification code of a selectable one of the number of player stations, the download server being responsive to the encryption means to download the encrypted software program to the particular player station whose unique identification code was used for encryption;
• and
• a security module associated with the particular player station, the security module being capable of decrypting the downloaded encrypted software program to obtain therefrom a decrypted identification code and enabling execution of the downloaded encrypted software program by the particular player station when the decrypted identification code is the same as the unique identification code of the particular player station, and disabling execution of the downloaded encrypted software program by the particular player station when the decrypted identification code is different from the unique identification code of the particular player station.

A method for the customisation and distribution of software, comprising the steps of:

• providing a number of player stations, each player station being operable by a respective player to play a corresponding game, each player station being associated with a unique identification code;
• providing a repository containing a number of different software programs, each software program being executable by at least one of the number of player stations to generate a simulation of a different game;
• encrypting, remotely from the number of player stations, a selected one of the number of different software programs contained in the repository as a function of the unique identification code of a selected one of the number of player stations;
• downloading the encrypted software program to the particular player station whose unique identification code was used for encryption;
• decrypting the downloaded encrypted software program to obtain therefrom a decrypted identification code;
• and
• enabling execution of the downloaded encrypted software program by the particular player station when the decrypted identification code is the same as the unique identification code of the particular player station, and disabling execution of the downloaded encrypted software program by the particular player station when the decrypted identification code is different from the unique identification code of the particular player station.

A system for the distribution of software, comprising:

• a repository containing a number of different executable software programs;
• a download server communicable with the repository;
• a number of processor modules, each processor module being identified by means of a unique identification code and being operable to execute any one of the number of different software programs contained in the repository;
• receiving means for receiving a request for a licence to execute a desired combination of at least one software program contained in the repository on at least one of the number of processor modules, the licence request containing at least one selectable identification code-to-software program mapping;
• payment means for receiving a fee for the requested licence;
• encryption means responsive to payment of the fee to encrypt the particular software program contained in the at least one selectable mapping as a function of the identification code in the mapping;
• a download facility operable to download the encrypted particular software program to the particular processor module whose identification code was used for encryption;
• and
• a security module associated with the particular processor module, the security module being capable of decrypting the downloaded encrypted software program to obtain therefrom a decrypted identification code and enabling execution of the downloaded encrypted software program by the particular processor module when the decrypted identification code is the same as the unique identification code of the particular processor module, and disabling execution of the downloaded encrypted software program by the particular processor module when the decrypted identification code is different from the unique identification code of the particular processor module.

A method for the distribution of software, comprising the steps of:

• providing a repository containing a number of different executable software programs,
• providing a number of processor modules, each processor module being operable to execute any one of the number of different software programs contained in the repository, and identifying each processor module by means of a unique identification code;
• receiving a request for a licence to execute a desired combination of at least one software program contained in the repository on at least one of the number of processor modules, the licence request containing at least one selectable identification code-to-software program mapping;
• receiving a fee for the requested licence;
• encrypting, in response to payment of the fee and remotely from the number of processor modules, the particular software program contained in the at least one selectable mapping as a function of the identification code in the mapping;
• downloading the encrypted particular software program to the particular processor module whose identification code was used for encryption;
• decrypting the downloaded encrypted software program to obtain therefrom a decrypted identification code;
• and
• enabling execution of the downloaded encrypted software program by the particular processor module when the decrypted identification code is the same as the unique identification code of the particular processor module, and disabling execution of the downloaded encrypted software program by the particular processor module when the decrypted identification code is different from the unique identification code of the particular processor module.