Marketing System and Methods for Use with Electronic Gaming Machines

A system configured for an electronic gaming device, said electronic gaming device having at least a controller, memory, game player interface and display, comprising:

• a data processor operatively associated with the electronic gaming device for passively detecting conditions within the electronic gaming device, differentiating between conditions associated with gaming device activity and conditions associated with gaming device inactivity, actuating a transmission of marketing content in response to the passage of a preset period of time after detecting conditions associated with gaming device inactivity, and ending the transmission of marketing content in response to the detection of conditions associated with gaming device activity;
• a data stream switch having multiple sources of data stream input and an output in communication with the display of the electronic gaming device, wherein the data stream switch is configured to receive the transmission of marketing content actuated by the data processor as a data stream input, wherein the data stream switch is further configured to facilitate the display of marketing content on the electronic gaming device display by outputting the marketing content for display and automatically preempting any pre-existing gaming device inactivity content input from being displayed on the display of the electronic gaming device while receiving the transmission of marketing content.

A method of presenting marketing content via an electronic gaming machine, said electronic gaming machine including at least a controller, memory, game player interface and display, comprising the steps of:

• detecting data signals generated by the electronic gaming device during play sessions and idle time;
• tracking time after detecting a data signals associated with idle time;
• triggering a transmission of marketing content to the display responsive to the tracked time after detection of the data signal exceeding a threshold period of time;
• and
• ceasing the transmission of said marketing content to the display responsive to detection of a subsequent data signal associated with play sessions.

An electronic gaming machine configured for providing an interactive game, comprising:

• a display;
• memory containing display content including game play content;
• a player interface for inputting information and player selections relating to the interactive game;
• a game controller configured for facilitating game play of the interactive game, including receiving information from the player interface and providing game content on the display during game play;
• a data processor configured for passively detecting data communication within the gaming machine, differentiating between the data communication associated with game play and the data communication associated with a game idle state, actuating a transmission of marketing content in response to the detection of data communication associated with a game idle state and ending the transmission of marketing content in response to the detection of data communication associated with game play;
• and
• a data stream switch having multiple data stream input sources and an output in communication with the display, the data stream switch being configured to receive the transmission of marketing content actuated by the data processor as a data stream input, preempt any other display content input from being outputted by the data stream switch for display and outputting the marketing content being received by the data stream switch for display while the transmission is received.