US 5,326,104 A · Secure automated electronic casino gaming system

An automated writing station for transmitting wager information to a central game controller to which a plurality of said writing stations are attached for playing a game of chance in which a group of symbols is selected from a large number of predetermined possible symbols, and for displaying results of the game, comprising:

keypad means operable by a patron for receiving wager information identifying symbols selected by the patron for the game of chance, said keypad means including a plurality of switching means each associated with one of the possible symbols for alternatively selecting and deselecting the symbol associated with the individual switching means when the switching means is activated by the patron;
account identifying means for receiving account identification information from the patron identifying a wagering account having a balance maintained within the central game controller;
wager activation means for generating a wager signal, in response to action by the patron, indicating that the wager information currently selected by the keypad means is to be entered as an irrevocable wager;
processing means connectable to said central game controller and connected to the keypad means, account identifying means, and wager activation means for receiving said wager information and said account identification information, and in response to receiving said wager signal, irrevocably transmitting signals to said central game controller, including the wager information and the account identification information, indicating that the wager information should be entered by the central game controller as an irrevocable wager associated with the patron account identified by the account identification information, and for subsequently receiving game results from said central game controller;
display means connected to the processing means for displaying the game results to the patron.

2 more elements

An electronic cashless betting system for conducting an automated random selection game including a random drawing of a defined number of symbols from a larger defined set of possible symbols, comprising:

A. a central game controller including:
a. account maintenance means for storing records of patron accounts, each patron account record including an account balance;
b. wager recording means operable during a wager receiving period for electronically collecting and recording irrevocable wagers comprising a patron's choice of predicted symbols and account identifying data associating the patron with one of said patron accounts;
c. drawing means connected to said account maintenance means and wager recording means for performing said random drawing to choose the defined number of symbols, and thereafter making an adjustment to said patron account, the value of said adjustment determined according to a predefined paytable defining payoffs based on the level of coincidence between each patron's predicted symbols and the actual symbols chosen in the random drawing;
and
d. results reporting means for transmitting results of the drawing to patrons subsequent to said wager receiving period;
and
B. a plurality of writing stations connected to the central game controller, each writing station including:
a. keypad means operable by a patron for permitting the selection and deselection of symbols selected by the patron for the game;
b. account identifying means for receiving account identification information from the patron identifying a wagering account having a balance maintained within the central game controller;
c. wager activation means for generating a wager signal, in response to action by the patron, indicating that wager information including the symbols currently selected by the keypad means is to be entered as an irrevocable wager;
and
d. processing means connectable to said central game controller and connected to the keypad means, account identifying means, and wager activation means for receiving said wager information and said account identification information, and in response to receiving said wager signal, rendering said keypad means inoperative to vary the selected symbols and irrevocably transmitting signals to said central game controller, including the wager information and the account identification information, to enter the wager information as an irrevocable wager associated with the patron account identified by the account identification information.

10 more elements

An electronic cashless betting system for conducting an automated random selection game including a random drawing of a defined number of symbols from a larger defined set of possible symbols, comprising:

A. a central game controller including
a. account maintenance means for storing records of patron accounts, each patron account record including an account balance;
b. wager recording means operable during a wager receiving period for electronically collecting and recording wagers comprising a patron's choice of predicted symbols and account identifying data associating the patron with one of said patron accounts;
c. drawing means connected to said account maintenance means and wager recording means for performing said random drawing to choose the defined number of symbols;
d. accounting means associated with the drawing means for determining a required credit to a patron account according to a predefined paytable defining payoffs based on the level of coincidence between each patron's predicted symbols and the actual symbols chosen in the random drawing;
e. first automated payoff means associated with the accounting means for automatically crediting the account associated with the patron when the required credit does not exceed a defined cutoff amount;
f. second automated payoff means associated with the accounting means for automatically generating and printing tax reporting forms and indicating a special manual payout requirement when the required credit is greater than the defined cutoff amount;
and
g. results reporting means for transmitting results of the drawing to patrons subsequent to said wager receiving period;
and
B. a plurality of writing stations connected to the central game controller for receiving wager information including the patron symbol selections and account identification information, and transmitting the wager information to said central game controller during the wager receiving period to enter the wager.

8 more elements

An electronic cashless betting system for conducting an automated random selection game including a random drawing of a defined number of symbols from a larger defined set of possible symbols, comprising:

A. a central game controller including:
a. account maintenance means for storing records of patron accounts, each patron account record including an account balance;
b. wager recording means operable during a wager receiving period for electronically collecting and recording wagers comprising a patron's choice of predicted symbols and account identifying data associating the patron with one of said patron accounts;
c. drawing means connected to said account maintenance means and wager recording means for performing said random drawing to choose the defined number of symbols and crediting patron accounts according to a predefined paytable defining payoffs based on the level of coincidence between each patron's predicted symbols and the actual symbols chosen in the random drawing;
d. results reporting means for transmitting results of the drawing to patrons subsequent to said wager receiving period;
and
B. a plurality of writing stations connected to the central game controller for receiving wager information including the patron symbol selections and account identification information, and transmitting the wager information to said central game controller during the wager receiving period to enter the wager;
wherein said central game controller operates using at least one secured internal data file, the unauthorized manipulation of which would affect said payoffs calculated by the drawing means, and said file has associated with it check data means calculated from the data of said file according to a defined algorithm which varies when a datum of said file is changed, and said central game controller includes verification means for verifying at specified times during the operation of the game that the data of said file, when operated on by said defined algorithm, produce check data means matching the check data means associated with said file, and for producing an indication whenever said data does not produce check data means matching the file associated check data means.

5 more elements

An electronic cashless betting system for conducting an automated random selection game including a random drawing of a defined number symbols from a larger defined set of possible symbols, comprising:

A. a central game controller including:
a. account maintenance means for storing records of patron accounts, each patron account record including an account balance;
b. wager recording means operable during a wager receiving period for electronically collecting and recording wagers comprising a patron's choice of predicted symbols and account identifying data associating the patron with one of said patron accounts;
c. drawing means connected to said account maintenance means and wager recording means for performing said random drawing to choose the defined number of symbols and crediting patron accounts according to a predefined paytable defining payoffs based on the level of coincidence between each patron's predicted symbols and the actual symbols chosen in the random drawing;
d. double entry accounting means connected to the drawing means for applying a corresponding debit to a control account whenever a credit is applied to one of said patron accounts to maintain a constant total value of a defined group of accounts in the system;
and
e. results reporting means for transmitting results of the drawing to patrons subsequent to said wager receiving period;
and
B. a plurality of writing stations connected to the central game controller for receiving wager information including the patron symbol selections and account identification information, and transmitting the wager information to said central game controller during the wager receiving period to enter the wager.

6 more elements

An electronic cashless betting system for conducting an automated random selection game including a random drawing of a defined number of symbols from a larger defined set of possible symbols, comprising:

A. a central game controller including:
a. account administration means for storing records and account balances of at least two distinct types of patron accounts, a first type of account having a predetermined fixed starting value and a second type of account having a variable starting value determined by the patron at the time the account is opened;
b. wager recording means operable during a wager receiving period for electronically collecting and recording wagers comprising a patron's choice of predicted symbols and account identifying data associating the patron with one of said patron accounts;
c. drawing means connected to said account maintenance means and wager recording means for performing said random drawing to choose the defined number of symbols and crediting patron accounts according to a predefined paytable defining payoffs based on the level of coincidence between each patron's predicted symbols and the actual symbols chosen in the random drawing;
d. results reporting means for transmitting results of the drawing to patrons subsequent to said wager receiving period;
and
B. a plurality of writing stations connected to the central game controller for receiving wager information including the patron symbol selections and account identification information, and transmitting the wager information to said central game controller during the wager receiving period to enter the wager.

4 more elements

An electronic cashless betting system for conducting an automated random selection game including a random drawing of a defined number of symbols from a larger defined set of possible symbols, comprising:

A. a central game controller including:
a. account maintenance means for creating and storing records of patron accounts, each patron account record including an account balance;
b. wager recording means operable during a wager receiving period for electronically collecting and recording wagers comprising a patron's choice of predicted symbols and account identifying data associating the patron with one of said patron accounts;
c. drawing means connected to said account maintenance means and wager recording means for performing said random drawing to choose the defined number of symbols and crediting patron accounts according to a predefined paytable defining payoffs based on the level of coincidence between each patron's predicted symbols and the actual symbols chosen in the random drawing;
d. cash management means for changing the value of accounts in response to cash transaction data entered into a terminal associated with said central game controller, said transaction data indicative of cash received or paid out of a cash storage means associated with said terminal, wherein said central game controller means includes monitoring means for receiving data indicating the initial value of cash in the cash storage means and thereafter maintaining, based on said transaction data, a calculated expected amount of cash remaining in said cash storage means, and for selectively displaying said expected amount of cash in response to an input by system operating personnel;
and
e. results reporting means for transmitting results of the drawing to patrons subsequent to said wager receiving period;
and
B. a plurality of writing stations connected to the central game controller for receiving wager information including the patron symbol selections and account identification information, and transmitting the wager information to said central game controller during the wager receiving period to enter the wager.

6 more elements

Secure automated electronic casino gaming system

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Secure automated electronic casino gaming system

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Abstract

Claims49