Display of notifications to members of a gaming group

A method for providing notification during an online casino game, comprising:

• initiating a first gameplay session of the online casino game, the first gameplay session associated with a first user and defined by gambling activity by the first user, the gambling activity by the first user being not linked to group gameplay;
• initiating a second gameplay session of the online casino game, the second gameplay session associated with a second user and defined by gambling activity by the second user independent of the gambling activity by the first user, the gambling activity by the second user being not linked to group gameplay, at least part of the second gameplay session occurring simultaneously with the first gameplay session;
• in response to initiating the second gameplay session, determining, by a server, whether the first user and the second user are members of a common group having a group gaming objective, and if so, then forwarding a message to the first user during the first gameplay session, the message to the first user identifying availability of the second user to establish a group gameplay session defined to link the gambling activity by the first user and the gambling activity by the second user so that outcomes of the gambling activity by the first and second users will be combined to achieve the group gaming objective, the method being executed by a processor;
• wherein a first device is associated with the first user, and wherein a second device is associated with the second user;
• and
• wherein one or more of the first device or the second device is selected from a computer, or a cellular phone, or a hand-held computer, or a touchscreen device, or a personal digital assistant.

A method for providing a notification to a friend during an online casino game, comprising:

• initiating a first gameplay session of the online casino game, the first gameplay session associated with a first user and defined by gambling activity by the first user, the gambling activity by the first user being not linked to group gameplay;
• initiating a second gameplay session of the online casino game, the second gameplay session associated with a second user and defined by gambling activity by the second user independent of the gambling activity by the first user, the gambling activity by the second user being not linked to group gameplay, at least part of the second gameplay session occurring simultaneously with the first gameplay session;
• in response to initiating the second gameplay session, determining, by a server, whether the first user and the second user are members of a common group having a group gaming objective, and if so, then forwarding a message to the first user during the first gameplay session, the message to the first user identifying availability of the second user to establish a group gameplay session defined to link the gambling activity by the first user and the gambling activity by the second user so that outcomes of the gambling activity by the first and second users will be combined to achieve the group gaming objective, the method being executed by a processor;
• a first device is associated with the first user, and wherein a second device is associated with the second user, and one or more of the first device or the second device is selected from a computer, or a cellular phone, or a hand-held computer, or a touchscreen device, or a personal digital assistant, the message includes an avatar image associated with the second user.