Open architecture casino operating system

A casino operating system for monitoring play and controlling the flow of funds in a casino, said casino operating system comprising:

• a central computer for receiving, storing and supplying financial transaction data for the casino;
• at least one individual game computer coupled to said central computer for supplying said financial transaction data resulting from a gambling game to said central computer and receiving said financial transaction data from said central computer;
• at least one player console coupled to said individual game computer for enabling a player to play a gambling game, wherein said individual player console includes
• means for receiving a betting card provided by the player, wherein said betting card stores at least player data and player credit balance data,
• means for transmitting the player data stored on the betting card to said individual game computer,
• means for receiving approval or denial data from said individual game computer based on stored financial transaction data in said central computer indicating whether the value of said player credit balance data is sufficient to play the gambling game,
• means for receiving commands from the player enabling the player to play the gambling game,
• means for displaying game data, player betting data, and player winnings and losses data to the player related to the gambling game to be played by the player, and
• means for providing said player betting data to said individual game computer;
• a dealer console coupled to said individual game computer for enabling a dealer to play the gambling game and to provide credit to players, wherein said dealer console includes
• means for displaying said game data, said player betting data, and said player winnings and losses data to the dealer,
• means for receiving commands from the dealer enabling the dealer to play the gambling game, and
• means for adjusting said player credit balance data stored on the betting card provided by the player;
• and
• a gaming apparatus for generating said game data and said player betting data, said gaming apparatus including
• encoded gaming pieces and encoded gaming chips for use in playing the gambling game,
• sensor means for identifying said encoded gaming pieces and encoded gaming chips and transmitting said game data and said player betting data to said individual game computer, said individual game computer providing said game data, said player betting data and said player winnings and losses data to said player console and said dealer console, and further providing said winnings and losses data to said central computer to update said stored financial transaction data,
• wherein said player console automatically updates said player credit balance data stored on said betting card in response to said game data, said player betting data, and said player winnings and losses data.

A casino operating system for monitoring play and controlling the flow of funds in a casino, said casino operating system comprising:

• at least one individual game computer for receiving, storing, and providing financial transaction data;
• at least one player console coupled to said individual game computer for enabling a player to play a gambling game, wherein said individual player console includes
• means for receiving a betting card provided by the player, wherein said betting card stores at least player data and player credit balance data,
• means for transmitting the player data contained on the betting card to the individual game computer,
• means for receiving approval or denial data from said individual game computer based on stored financial transaction data in said individual game computer indicating whether the value of the player credit balance data is sufficient to play the gambling game,
• means for receiving commands from the player enabling the player to play the gambling game,
• means for displaying game data, player betting data, and player winnings and losses data to the player related to the gambling game to be played by the player, and
• means for providing said player betting data to said individual game computer;
• a dealer console coupled to said individual game computer for enabling a dealer to play the gambling game and to provide credit to players, wherein said dealer console includes
• means for displaying said game data, said player betting data, and said player winnings and losses data to the dealer,
• means for receiving commands from the dealer enabling the dealer to play the gambling game, and
• means for adjusting player credit balance data stored on the betting card provided by the player;
• and
• a gaming apparatus for generating said game data and said player betting data, said gaming apparatus including
• playing cards having a suit and a face value with encoded identification markings indicating said suit and said face value of each of said playing cards,
• first holding means for holding said playing cards wherein said playing cards are dealt from said holding means to the player and to the dealer, said holding means including sensing means for reading said encoded identification data on each of said playing cards dealt to the player and the dealer, and for providing said game data to said individual game computer,
• a plurality of encoded betting chips for placing bets,
• second holding means for holding the encoded betting chips bet during play of said gambling game, and
• chip value sensing means for sensing a value of the encoded betting chips bet during play of said gambling game and transmitting said player betting data to said individual game computer,
• wherein said individual game computer provides said game data, said player betting data and said player winnings and losses data to said player console and said dealer console and updates said stored financial transaction data stored in said individual game computer, and
• wherein said player console automatically updates said player credit balance data stored on said betting card in response to said game data, said player betting data and said winnings and losses data.

A casino operating system for monitoring play and controlling the flow of funds in a casino, said casino operating system comprising:

• at least one individual game computer for receiving, storing, and providing financial transaction data;
• at least one player console coupled to said individual game computer for enabling a player to play a gambling game, wherein said individual player console includes
• means for receiving a betting card provided by the player, wherein said betting card stores at least player data and player credit balance data,
• means for transmitting the player data contained on the betting card to the individual game computer,
• means for receiving approval or denial data from said individual game computer based on stored financial transaction data in said individual game computer indicating whether the value of the player credit balance data is sufficient to play the gambling game,
• means for receiving commands from the player enabling the player to place bets,
• means for displaying game data, player betting data, and player winnings and losses data to the player related to the gambling game to be played by the players, and
• means for updating said player credit balance data in response to said player winnings and losses data;
• a dealer console coupled to said individual game computer for enabling a dealer to play the gambling game and to provide credit to players, wherein said dealer console includes
• means for displaying said game data, said player betting data, and said player winnings and losses data to the dealer, and
• means for adjusting the player credit balance data stored on the betting card provided by the player;
• and
• a gaming apparatus for generating said game data and said player betting data, said gaming apparatus comprising
• a plurality of encoded betting chips for placing bets, and
• a gaming table including
• a central recessed area in the gaming table for receiving said encoded betting chips, and
• at least one sloped chute for receiving player deposits of said encoded betting chips to be bet such that said encoded betting chips are deposited into one end of said sloped chute and fall through said sloped chute into said central recessed area, said sloped chute containing scanning means for scanning the encoded betting chips inserted into said sloped chute as the encoded betting chips slide through said sloped chute in order to determine a value of the encoded betting chips, said scanning means transmitting said player betting data indicating the scanned value of the encoded betting chips to said individual game computer, said individual game computer monitoring betting activity, transmitting said player betting data and said winnings and losses data to said player console for display, and calculating and transmitting a value of house percentage data representing a house percentage amount.

A casino operating system for monitoring play and controlling the flow of funds in a casino, said casino operating system comprising:

• at least one individual game computer for receiving, storing, and providing financial transaction data;
• at least one player console coupled to said individual game computer for enabling a player to play a gambling game, wherein said individual player console includes
• means for receiving a betting card provided by the player, wherein said betting card stores at least player data and player credit balance data,
• means for transmitting the player data contained on the betting card to the individual game computer,
• means for receiving approval or denial data from said individual game computer based on stored financial transaction data in said individual game computer indicating whether the value of said player credit balance data is sufficient to play the gambling game,
• means for receiving commands from the player enabling the player to play the gambling game,
• means for displaying game data, player betting data, and player winnings and losses data to the player related to the gambling game to be played by the player, and
• means for providing said player betting data to said individual game computer;
• a dealer console coupled to said individual game computer for enabling a dealer to play the gambling game and to provide credit to players, wherein said dealer console includes
• means for displaying said game data, said player betting data, and said player winnings and losses data to the dealer,
• means for receiving commands from the dealer enabling the dealer to play the gambling game, and
• means for providing credit to the betting card provided by the player;
• and
• a gaming apparatus for generating said game data, said gaming apparatus comprising
• a roulette ball,
• a roulette betting table, and
• a roulette wheel adapted to permit said roulette ball to circle, wherein first sensing means are provided at least one position on said roulette wheel for detecting a final resting position of said roulette ball, such that said first sensing means provides said game data indicating said final resting position of said roulette ball to said individual game computer, said individual game computer providing said game data to said dealer console and to said player console, and second sensing means are positioned on said roulette wheel for sensing circling speed of said roulette ball and for providing said circling speed to said individual game computer which compares said circling speed with a pre-set speed value, such that if said pre-set speed value is less that said circling speed, said individual game computer provides data to said dealer console and said player console that betting is closed.

A casino operating system for monitoring play and controlling the flow of funds in a casino, said casino operating system comprising:

• at least one individual game computer for receiving, storing, and providing financial transaction data;
• at least one player console coupled to said individual game computer for enabling a player to play a gambling game, wherein said individual player console includes
• means for receiving a betting card provided by the player, wherein said betting card stores at least player data and player credit balance data,
• means for transmitting the player data contained on the betting card to the individual game computer,
• means for receiving approval or denial data from said individual game computer based on stored financial transaction data in said individual game computer indicating whether the value of said player credit balance data is sufficient to play the gambling game,
• means for receiving commands from the player enabling the player to play the gambling game,
• means for displaying game data, player betting data, and player winnings and losses data to the player related to the gambling game to be played by the player, and
• means for providing said player betting data to said individual game computer;
• a dealer console coupled to said individual game computer for enabling a dealer to play the gambling game and to provide credit to players, wherein said dealer console includes
• means for displaying said game data, said player betting data, and said player winnings and losses data to the dealer, and
• means for providing credit to the betting card provided by the player;
• and
• a gaming apparatus for generating said game data, said gaming apparatus comprising
• a pair of dice provided with indicating means for indicating a final resting position of each of said pair of dice, and
• a craps table onto which said pair of dice are thrown, said craps table having sensing means for reading position data from said indicating means indicating the final resting position of each of said pair of dice, wherein said sensing means generates and transmits said game data to said individual game computer, said individual game computer providing said game data to said player console and to said dealer console.

In a casino operating system for monitoring play and controlling the flow of funds in a casino, said casino operating system comprising a gaming apparatus for generating game data and player betting data including encoded game pieces and encoded game chips and sensors and at least one individual game computer coupled to said gaming apparatus for monitoring play of said gambling game and receiving, storing, and providing financial transaction data, the play of said gambling game being automatically entered into said individual game computer by said sensors enabling said individual game computer to monitor the gambling game and calculate corresponding player winnings and losses data:

• at least one player console coupled to said individual game computer for enabling a player to play a gambling game, wherein said individual player console includes
• means for receiving a betting card provided by the player, wherein said betting card stores player data and player credit balance data,
• means for transmitting the player data contained on the betting card to the individual game computer,
• means for receiving approval or denial data from said individual game computer based on stored financial transaction data indicating whether the value of said player credit balance data is sufficient to play the gambling game,
• means for receiving commands from the player enabling the player to play the gambling game and place bets, and
• means for displaying said game data, said player betting data, and said player winnings and losses data to the player related to the gambling game to be played by the player and automatically updating said player credit balance data stored on said betting card.