Method and System for Localized Mobile Gaming

A method for facilitating game of chance play on a mobile gaming device (MGD), the method comprising:

• forming a game zone at a gaming establishment, the game zone formed by at least one repositionable wireless zone portable controller;
• detecting, using the wireless zone portable controller, presence of the MGD in the game zone;
• receiving MGD data from the MGD;
• transmitting, by the wireless zone portable controller, the MGD data to a gaming server to determine if the MGD is authorized to play games of chance;
• subsequently re-detecting, by the at least one portable transceiver, presence of the MGD within the game zone;
• and
• transmitting presence data to the gaming server if the MGD is re-detected by the portable transceiver,
• wherein the MGD is permitted to place monetary wagers to play games of chance within the game zone if the MGD is authorized to play games of chance and while the MGD is re-detected within the game zone.

A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for facilitating game of chance play on a mobile gaming device (MGD), the method comprising:

• forming a game zone at a gaming establishment, the game zone formed by at least one repositionable wireless zone portable controller;
• detecting, using the wireless zone portable controller, presence of the MGD in the game zone;
• receiving MGD data from the MGD;
• transmitting, by the wireless zone portable controller, the MGD data to a gaming server to determine if the MGD is authorized to play games of chance;
• periodically re-detecting, by the at least one portable transceiver, presence of the MGD within the game zone;
• and
• transmitting presence data to the gaming server if the MGD is re-detected by the portable transceiver,
• wherein the MGD is permitted to place monetary wagers to play games of chance within the game zone if the MGD is authorized to play games of chance and while the MGD is re-detected within the game zone.

A system to facilitate playing games of chance on a mobile gaming device (MGD), comprising:

• a wireless zone portable controller configured to provide a game zone proximate to a gaming establishment, the wireless zone portable controller being configured to at least:
• i) detect presence of the MGD;
• ii) obtain MGD data from the MGD;
• and
• iii) periodically re-detect presence of the MGD within the game zone;
• and
• a gaming server configured to:
• receive the MGD data from the wireless zone portable controller;
• determine if the MGD is authorized to place monetary wagers to play games of chance based on the MGD data;
• periodically receive detection confirmation from the wireless zone portable controller if presence of the MGD is within the game zone;
• and
• transmit and/or receive game of chance data to/from the MGD if the MGD is authorized to place monetary wagers to play games of chance and detection confirmation is received.