# US 2024/0203201 A1 · Systems and methods for verifying player identity at an electronic wagering system in a casino > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0203201 A1 - Document ID: US20240203201A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/588,158 - Filed: 2024-02-27 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-05 - Assignees: Walker Digital Table Systems, LLC - Applicants: Walker Digital Table Systems, LLC - Inventors: Stephen Moore; Magdalena Mik Fincham - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240203201A1 ## CPC - G07F 17/322: {Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means} - G07F 17/3239: {Tracking of individual players} - G07F 17/3232: {wherein the operator is informed} - G07F 17/3237: {about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players} - G07F 17/3241: {Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance (computer security G06F21/00)} - G07F 17/326: {Game play aspects of gaming systems} - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) ## Abstract Systems, processes and articles of manufacture provide for a player identity verification system that allows a gaming establishment (e.g., a casino) to determine or verify a player's identity upon certain qualifying activities being determined (e.g., when a player is initiating a wagering session at an electronic wagering system or placing a wager). In accordance with one embodiment, a live image of a player participating in a qualifying activity (e.g., placement of a wager) is compared to a stored image of a player that is associated with one or more casino chips being used as the wager; a verification of the identity of the player placing the wager is performed by matching the live image to the stored image. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A controller for verifying the identity of a player participating in a qualifying activity at a gaming establishment, the controller being operable to communicate with at least one electronic gaming system operable to facilitate a wagering game, wherein the at least one electronic gaming system comprises at least one camera operable to capture an image of a player participating in a qualifying activity associated with the electronic gaming system; the controller comprising: a processor; and a memory storing a program for directing the processor, the processor being operable with the memory to: (a) receive an indication of the qualifying activity, wherein the indication includes a unique casino chip identifier of at least one casino chip associated with the qualifying activity, the casino chip identifier having been detected by a detecting component of the electronic game system; (b) retrieve, from a memory, a unique player identifier of a player associated with the casino chip; (c) identify a previously stored image of a player associated with the player identifier, wherein the previously stored image corresponds to an official government-issued identification document that the player had presented to a gaming establishment in order to verify identity; (d) receive, from the at least one camera of the electronic gaming system, at least one live image of the player participating in the qualifying activity; (e) compare, using facial recognition software, the at least one live image to the stored image to determine whether the player in the stored image is the player in the live image; and (f) only if it is determined that the player in the stored image is the player in the live image: (i) determine that the player participating in the qualifying activity is the player corresponding to the unique player identifier, thereby verifying an identity of the player participating in the qualifying activity and (ii) authorize the qualifying activity; and (g) if it is not determined that the player in the stored image is the player in the live image, perform a remedial action. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the qualifying activity comprises placement of the casino chip on a player area of the electronic gaming system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the qualifying activity comprises an initiation by the player of a new wagering session. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the qualifying activity comprises an initiation by the player of a new wager on the wagering game of the electronic gaming system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the official government-issued identification document comprises at least one of a passport, a residency confirmation and a driver's license. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, the processor being further operable with the memory to: determine a location identifier associated with the casino chip, the location identifier indicating a location at which the qualifying activity is occurring; identify the at least one camera operable to obtain images of players at the location; and direct the at least one camera to obtain the live image. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The controller of claim 6, wherein the live image obtained by the at least one camera includes images of multiple players and wherein step (e) comprises: compare, using facial recognition software, the at least one live image to the stored image to determine whether the player in the stored image is any of the players in the live image. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The controller of claim 7, the processor being further operable with the memory to: storing, if it is determined that an indication of the unique player identifier in association with an indication of the qualifying action. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the remedial action comprises storing an indication of a lack of a match between the stored image and the live image. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the remedial action comprises directing the at least one camera associated with the electronic gaming system to obtain a new live image of the player associated with the qualifying activity and repeating steps (e) through (g) using the new live image as the live image. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the remedial action comprises transmitting a signal to a dealer of the electronic gaming system, directing the dealer to verify the identity of the player participating in the qualifying activity. ### Claim 12 A method for verifying the identity of a player participating in a qualifying activity at a gaming establishment, the method comprising: (a) receiving an indication of a qualifying activity occurring at an electronic gaming system operable to facilitate a wagering game, wherein the indication includes a unique casino chip identifier of at least one casino chip associated with the qualifying activity; (b) retrieving, from a memory, a unique player identifier of a player associated with the casino chip; (c) identifying a previously stored image of a player associated with the player identifier, wherein the previously stored image corresponds to an official government-issued identification document that the player had presented to a gaming establishment in order to verify identity; (d) receiving at least one live image of the player participating in the qualifying activity; (e) comparing, using facial recognition software, the at least one live image to the stored image to determine whether the player in the stored image is the player in the live image; and (f) only if it is determined that the player in the previously stored image is the player in the live image: (i) determining that the player participating in the qualifying activity is the player corresponding to the unique player identifier, thereby verifying an identity of the player participating in the qualifying activity; and (ii) authorizing the qualifying activity; and (g) if it is not determined that the player in the previously stored image is the player in the live image, performing a remedial action. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the qualifying activity comprises placement of a casino chip on a bet spot of the wagering game. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the qualifying activity comprises an initiation by the player of a new wagering session. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the qualifying activity comprises an initiation by the player of a new wager on the wagering game. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the stored image comprises an image of the player, obtained prior to the qualifying activity and from a photo identification document provided by the player to a gaming establishment in which the electronic gaming system is located. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: determining a location identifier associated with the casino chip, the location identifier indicating a location at which the qualifying activity is occurring; identifying at least one camera operable to obtain images of players at the location; and directing the at least one camera to obtain the live image. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the live image obtained by the camera includes images of multiple players and wherein step (e) comprises: comparing, using facial recognition software, the at least one live image to the stored image to determine whether the player in the stored image is any of the players in the live image. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the remedial action comprises storing an indication of a lack of a match between the stored image and the live image. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the remedial action comprises directing a camera associated with the electronic gaming system to obtain a new live image of the player associated with the qualifying activity and repeating steps (e) through (g) using the new live image as the live image. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the remedial action comprises transmitting a signal to an operator of the electronic gaming system, directing the operator to verify the identity of the player participating in the qualifying activity. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic gaming system is equipped with RFID sensors and wherein step (a) comprises: receiving, via an RFID sensor that has detected an RFID-enabled casino chip at the electronic gaming system, wherein the indication includes a unique casino chip identifier of at least one casino chip associated with the qualifying activity, the unique casino chip identifier having been read by the RFID sensor.