Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8439746B2/en
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 18:59:03+00:00

Document:
2011-02-07 Assigned to WMS GAMING, INC. reassignment WMS GAMING, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: THOMAS, ALFRED, GAGNER, MARK B., RATHSACK, ERHARD W.
A wagering game account management system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations include presenting a graphical user interface that includes a graphical control associated with a credit account belonging to a wagering game player; detecting a selection of the graphical control that initiates a financial transaction to transfer money from the credit account to a wagering game session account; determining access information stored in a player profile, the access information to access the credit account; determining an amount to transfer from the credit account to the wagering game session account balance; determining one or more rules limiting use of the credit account; and enforcing the one or more limitation rules on the use of the credit account.
This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/051,145 filed May 7, 2008.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. Copyright 2009, WMS Gaming, Inc.
Embodiments of the inventive subject matter relate generally to wagering game systems, and more particularly to managing and enforcing limitation rules for wagering accounts.
In some embodiments, one or more machine-readable media having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a set of one or more processors causes the set of one or more processors to perform operations comprises presenting a graphical user interface that includes a graphical control associated with a credit account belonging to a wagering game player; detecting a selection, via the graphical user interface, of the graphical control that initiates a financial transaction to transfer money from the credit account to a wagering game session account; determining access information stored in a player profile, the access information to access the credit account; determining an amount to transfer from the credit account to the wagering game session account balance; determining one or more rules limiting use of the credit account; and enforcing the one or more limitation rules on the use of the credit account.
In some embodiments, the one or more limitation rules are restrictions that comprise any one or more of prohibitions on the use of the credit account, transaction amount limits, periodic use limits, and wagering game session limitations.
In some embodiments, the operation of determining one or more limitation rules on the use of the credit account comprises searching one or more limitation rules stores comprising any one or more of account rules associated with the a wagering game player account to indicate self-imposed limitations on the use of the credit account for wagering games, prohibition rules that indicate that the wagering game player is prohibited from using the credit account for wagering games, and third-party account rules that have been set on behalf of the wagering game player to assist the wagering game player to manage the use of the credit account for wagering games.
In some embodiments, the operation of enforcing the one or more limitation rules on the use of the credit account comprises determining that the transaction amount exceeds a spending limit for the credit account; and presenting a message, via the graphical user interface, indicating that the transaction amount exceeds the spending limit.
In some embodiments, the operation of enforcing the one or more limitation rules on the use of the credit account comprises determining that the transaction amount is within a spending limit for the credit account; and transferring the transaction amount from the credit account to the wagering game session account.
In some embodiments, the operation of determining a transaction amount comprises presenting a plurality of graphical representations on the graphical user interface for the wagering game player to select, wherein the graphical representations are of differing denomination values for the transaction amount; determining a selected graphical representation; determining a money value associated with the selected graphical representation; and using the money value as the transaction amount.
In some embodiments, a method comprises determining an initiation of an electronic funds transfer of a transaction amount from a financial account to a wagering game account, wherein the financial account belongs to a player account and can be monitored electronically to limit the use of the financial account for funding the wagering game account; determining a third party account associated with the player account, wherein the third party account has been authorized to set a limitation rule on behalf of the player account to limit the use of the financial account; accessing the third party account to determine an action associated with the limitation rule; and limiting use of the financial account according to the action.
In some embodiments, limiting use of the financial account according to the action comprises determining a funds limit, specified in the limitation rule, which limits an amount of money that can be transferred from the financial account to the wagering game account during a specified period.
In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining that the transaction amount does not exceed the funds limit; and performing the electronic funds transfer from the financial account to the wagering game account.
In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining that the transaction amount exceeds the funds limit; and prohibiting the electronic funds transfer.
In some embodiments, the player account includes player settings that indicate account information that can be used to access the financial account, and wherein the initiating the electronic funds transfer comprises contacting a financial institution computer associated with the financial account; and using the account information to access the financial account on the financial institution computer.
In some embodiments, the financial account is any one or more of a credit card account, an Internet credit account, a bank line of credit, a casino line of credit, a checking account, and savings account.
In some embodiments, the trigger condition is selected from the set of trigger conditions consisting of a balance of the wagering game account, an amount wagered in a wagering game, and a manual selection of a graphical control.
In some embodiments, a system comprises a machine configured to access a wagering game account, the machine including, an account manager configured to present a graphical user interface including menus for creating an account rule, wherein the account rule specifies a financial transaction associated with the wagering game account and a credit account, and wherein the account rule specifies a condition that when satisfied will cause initiation of the financial transaction, an external system interface configured to transmit the account rule, and a wagering game unit configured to present wagering games; and an account controller configured to receive the account rule, initiate the financial transaction upon satisfaction of the condition specified in the account rule, determine one or more limitation rules that can restrict the use of the credit account for wagering games, and process the financial transaction according to the one or more limitation rules.
In some embodiments, the wagering game account is associated with a wagering game session, and wherein a balance of the wagering game account appears in a credit meter that is visible during the wagering game session.
In some embodiments, the account controller is configured to initiate the financial transaction when the credit meter reaches a minimum limit specified in the account rule.
In some embodiments, the account controller is further configured to determine a default transaction amount associated with the account rule, transfer the default transaction amount from the credit account to the wagering game account, and augment the credit meter.
In some embodiments, the account controller is further configured to determine a funds limit, specified in the one or more limitation rules, that limits an amount of money that can be transferred from the credit account to the wagering game account during a specified period, and transfer funds from the credit account to the wagering game account if the financial transaction does not exceed the funds limit.
In some embodiments, an apparatus, comprises a graphical user interface configured to present a wagering account, wherein the graphical user interface includes an account settings panel configured to store credit account information that can be used to access one or more credit accounts during a wagering game session; and an account controller configured to initiate one or more financial transactions to transfer money from the one or more credit accounts to the wagering account; search one or more limitation rules sources for one or more limitation rules that limit the use of the one or more credit accounts; and process the one or more financial transactions according to limitation rules regarding the one or more credit accounts.
In some embodiments, the account settings panel is further configured to store one or more default transaction amounts, and wherein the account controller is configured to transfer the one or more default transaction amounts from the one or more credit accounts to the wagering account.
In some embodiments, the account controller is further configured to determine that the one or more limitation rules indicate a fund limit amount for the one or more credit accounts; and restrict the transfer of the one or more default transaction amounts to the fund limit amount.
In some embodiments, an apparatus, comprises means for detecting the initiation of a financial transaction to augment funds in a wagering game account by transferring money from a first credit account to the wagering game account, wherein the first credit account is associated with a player account; means for determining access information stored in the player account, the access information to access the first credit account; means for determining a default transaction amount to transfer from the first credit account to augment funds in the wagering game account; means for determining a funds transfer limit that limits a total amount of money that can be transferred, for wagering game purposes, from the first credit account to the wagering game account during a specified period; and means for limiting the default transaction amount to the funds transfer limit.
In some embodiments, the means for limiting the default transaction amount comprises means for determining that the default transaction amount would exceed the funds transfer limit; means for determining a lesser transaction amount to transfer that would not exceed the funds transfer limit; and means for transferring the lesser transaction amount from the credit account to the wagering game account.
In some embodiments, the means for limiting the default transaction amount comprises means for determining that the funds transfer limit has been exceeded for the first credit account; means for determining a second credit account associated with the player account; and means for limiting the default transaction amount to the funds transfer limit for both the first credit account and the second credit account.
In some embodiments, the means for limiting the default transaction amount comprises means for determining that a third party has set one or more limitation rules on the use of the first credit account for wagering game purposes; and means for limiting the amount of money that can be transferred from the first credit account to the wagering account according to the one or more limitation rules.
FIG. 16 is a flow diagram 1600 illustrating controlling use limitations, according to some embodiments.
This description of the embodiments is divided into six sections. The first section provides an introduction to embodiments of the invention, while the second section describes wagering game machine architectures and wagering game networks. The third section describes interfaces and operations of some embodiments and the fourth section describes example wagering game machines in more detail. The fifth section describes some additional embodiments and the sixth section presents some general comments.
In the second transaction (see “2ND” in FIG. 1), the player configures an account rule in the user interface 108. The account rule prompts transfer of $20 from the player's game session account 110 to his §529 account 116 for every $100 won playing wagering games. For information about §529 accounts, see section 529 of the United States Code, which governs Qualified State Tuition Programs. The wagering game machine 102 notifies the account controller 104 about the account rule. The wagering game machine 102 also notifies the account controller 104 whenever the player wins money playing wagering games. When the player's winnings reach $100, the account controller 104 transfers $20 from the game session account 110 to the §529 account 116. The account controller 104 can support other account rules. In some embodiments, account rules can transfer a percentage of winnings from the game session account 110 to the §529 account 116. For example, if a player win ten cents in a single game, twenty percent (two cents) is transferred into the §529 account 116.
Each of the plurality of casinos 312 includes a local area network 316, which may include a wireless access point 304, wagering game machines 302, and a wagering game server 306 that can serve wagering games over the local area network 316. The wagering game server 306 includes an account controller 318, which can facilitate account transactions and enforce account rules. The account controller 318 can communicate with other network components, such as the financial institution computer 324, when enforcing account rules and processing transactions. Also, the account controller 318 can record, modify, and use account information in the account store 320 and rule store 322. In some embodiments, the account controller 318, account store 320, and the rule store 322 can be located outside the casino 312.
FIG. 5B is a block diagram illustrating account information in a wagering game machine's graphical user interface, according to example embodiments of the invention. Players can activate the account icons by pressing the touchscreen 502. After an account icon is activated, the interface 500 presents additional account transaction options, which are represented by additional icons. In FIG. 5B, the player 518 has activated the savings account icon 506. As a result, the interface 500 has presented a savings account balance 520 and currency icons 514, which allow the player 518 to transfer different denominations between a savings account and other accounts. As shown, the player 518 is dragging a $20 currency icon 516 into the game session account icon 504. This drag-and-drop operation constitutes a request to transfer $20 from the player's savings account into the player's game session account. The GUI 500 supports similar drag-and-drop operations to request other transfers.
At block 1102, the account controller 318 determines that a rule associated with a wagering game account should be enforced. As noted above, account rules can be associated with trigger condition. For example, winning jackpots, placing wagers, playing certain games, account balances, time of day, total amount of wagers made, etc. can trigger account rules to perform financial transactions. In some embodiments, the wagering game machines 302 notifies the account controller 318 about any information relevant to a player's account rules. For example, wagering game machines 302 can notify the account controller 318 when a player wins a jackpot, makes a wager, plays a game, begins a game session, ends a game session, etc. In response, the account controller 318 can determine whether any account rules' trigger conditions have been satisfied. In other embodiments, the wagering game machines 302 can acquire a list of account rules and notify the account controller 318 only when a trigger condition has been satisfied.
FIG. 13 is an illustration of managing account transactions and determining use limitations, according to some embodiments. In FIG. 13, a wagering game machine 1302 is connected to an account controller 1304, which is connected to a financial institution computer 1306 and a jurisdictional authority computer 1324. The wagering game machine 1302 provides a graphical user interface (GUI) 1308 through which players request account transactions, create account rules, etc. The graphical user interface 1308 includes a control button 1328 that is preconfigured to access player account settings 1308. The player account settings 1308 can include information about a financial account, such as a credit account 1314, a checking account, a savings account, etc., that the account controller 1314 can use to quickly, and electronically, augment a balance on a wagering game session account 1310. Herein, the procedure for quickly augmenting funds from a financial account (e.g., a credit account), to a wagering game account (e.g., a wagering game session account), can be referred to as a “quick wagering game account augmentation” (“Quick Add”) procedure or “Quick Add” transaction. A mechanism (e.g., a button, a trigger, etc.) for initiating a Quick Add procedure, such as the control button 1328, can also be referred to herein as a “Quick Add” mechanism (e.g., the control button 1328 may be referred to as a Quick Add button 1328). The account controller 1304 can detect when the Quick Add button 1328 is activated by a player (not shown), obtain information from the player account settings 1308, check for limitations on the use of the credit account, and make decisions based on the limitations. The limitations are restrictions and limits on the use of the credit account 1314 that can help the player to responsibly utilize the credit account 1314 for wagering game purposes. For example, the account controller 1304 can look to limitation rules from various rules sources (e.g., from authority limitation rules 1332, from wagering game session account limitation rules 1322, from credit account limitation rules 1342, and from self-imposed limitations stored in the player account rules 1312). Based on the limitations stored within the rules sources, the account controller 1304 can determine, for instance, (a) if the player is authorized to access the credit account 1314, (b) if the player is restricted from making credit transactions on wagering games, (c) how much money the game session account 1310 is authorized to transact in a specified period, (d) how much money the credit account 1314 is authorized to transact, etc.
FIG. 13 shows four transactions. In the first transaction (see “1” in FIG. 13) a player (not shown) uses the interface 1308 to select the Quick Add button 1328 to request a quick funds augmentation of the wagering game session account 1310. After the wagering game machine 1302 receives the player's request, the machine 1302 notifies the account controller 1304 about the request. As a result, in the second transaction (see “2), the account controller 1304 accesses the player account settings 1308 to determine a transaction amount (e.g., $100) associated with the Quick Add button 1328. The account controller 1304 also determines credit account information, from the player account settings 1308, to be able to access the credit account 1314 and transfer the transaction amount. However, before initiating the transfer of the transaction amount, the account controller 1304 first accesses (see “3) the player account rules 1312, the wagering game session account limitation rules 1322, the credit account limitation rules 1342, and the authority limitation rules 1332. The account controller 1304 determines whether there are any rules that restrict the money transaction between the credit account 1314 and the wagering game session account 1310. If there are no restrictions or use limits, the account controller 1304 can transfer (see “4”) the transaction amount (e.g., $100) from the credit account 1314 to the player's wagering game session account 1310. Funds in the wagering game session account 1310 appear on the wagering game machine's credit meter 1318 and are available for use in wagering games presented on the wagering game machine 1302. If, however, there are limitations, the account controller 1304 can enforce the limitations. FIGS. 14, 15, and 16 illustrate some example embodiments and operations of how a player account can be configured to utilize and enforce limitations in connection with credit accounts.
FIG. 14 is an illustration of managing use limitations in connection with credit accounts, according to some embodiments. In FIG. 14, a wagering game system (“system”) 1400 includes a client computer 1445 connected to an account server 1404. The account server 1404 can include an account controller, or be connected to another device with an account controller, according to some embodiments. The account server 1404 can also include an account manager, for example, account manager 236 in FIG. 2. The account server 1404 can include a player account 1403. In some embodiments, the client computer 1445 can be a home computer which a player can use to access the player account 1403 via the Internet. In some embodiments, the client computer 1445 can be a terminal at a kiosk or a casino cage. In some embodiments, the client computer 1445 can be a wagering game machine. The player account 1403 can include an account settings panel 1419 that a player can use to store account information about one or more credit accounts (e.g., credit card accounts, Internet credit accounts, bank lines of credit, casino lines of credit, etc.) The account information can include account holder information (e.g., name, address, etc.), credit card numbers, personal identification numbers (PINs), account access numbers, passwords, etc. The system 1400 can use the account information to access the one or more credit accounts. FIG. 13 describes some embodiments for accessing a credit account. The account information can also include a default transaction amount 1423 per each credit account that the system 1400 can transact during a Quick Add procedure. The system 1400 can cycle through the credit accounts to use during the Quick Add procedure. In some embodiments, the system 1400 can pre-load a specific amount into a holding account that can be used during the wagering game session. In other words, instead of transacting with a credit account when a Quick Add procedure is processed during a wagering game session, the system 1400 can have a holding account that the player “fills up” from the credit account before beginning a wagering game session. The system 1400 can then access the holding account instead of having to make a transaction with the credit account multiple times during the wagering game session. The system 1400, however, can limit the amount that can be stored in the holding account to prevent the player from preloading a large amount of funds from the credit account. The system 1400, therefore, can have limitations, as described in FIGS. 13, 15, and 16, which can help keep the player's use of the credit account in check.
The system 1400 also includes a wagering game machine 1462. The wagering game machine 1462 has a graphical user interface (“GUI”) 1402 that a player can use to play wagering games. The GUI 1402 can also include a Quick Add button 1420, which can initiate a Quick Add procedure to automatically add money to a wagering game session balance. The Quick Add button 1420 can initiates a series of operations that the system 1400 can perform, similar to the operations described in FIG. 13, 15, and/or 16. For example, the system 1400 can access a wagering game session account on the account server 1404 and search limitation rules sources for limitations rules that have been set on the use of the credit accounts in the account settings panel 1419. FIG. 13 described various sources for the limitation rules. One of the sources can be a player's account rules. For instance, one kind of account rule can include a self-imposed limitation to assist the player to responsibly use credit account(s) for wagering games. For example, referring briefly back to FIG. 9, the source account 908 can list a credit account that the player can select and use to pull money from for quickly augmenting funds in a wagering game account. Returning back to FIG. 14, for example, an account rule can include an instruction (e.g., a trigger) to determine when the player activates the Quick Add button 1420 from the wagering game machine 1462. During the process of transacting money from a source credit account, the account rule can determine whether the player has exceeded a transaction limit amount (“use limit”). The player can set the limitations of the use limit, such as by specifying a limit amount and a limit period (e.g., a daily use limit of $200). The player can set an action to “Lock” transactions from that source credit account, if the player has exceeded the use limit. If the use limit has been exceeded, the system 1400 can select other source credit accounts configured to work with the Quick Add procedure (e.g., if the “Visa” account is restricted or has met its use limit, then the system 1400 can look to the “Pal Pal” account). In some embodiments, the player can also set account rules that initiate a Quick Add procedure automatically, without the need to select a Quick Add button 1420. For example, the player can set an account rule with a trigger that watches when the wagering game session credit balance has dropped below a specified number of credits, or when a wager is placed that exceeds the credit balance. If so, then the trigger initiates an action to initiate an electronic funds transfer from the credit account to the wagering game session account. The system 1400, however, can still check for use limitations on the credit account before performing the electronic funds transfer.
If there are limitations, the system 1400 can generate a message 1412 to notify the player of restraints, use limits, etc. The system 1400 can deactivate the Quick Add procedure and/or controls associated with the wagering game machine 1462 when all accounts are restricted. In some embodiments, the player can set account rules with triggers that warn the player when the credit account is near its use limits (e.g., the system 1400 can generate a warning message that the Visa account is near a daily cash withdrawal limit, or that the wagering game machine 1462 is near a daily funds transfer limit).
In some embodiments, the system 1400 can determine a co-account manager (e.g., a co-account holder who has a credit account profile, a social contact who has a player account, etc.) associated with the account (e.g., that the player has specified in the profile, that the credit lender has on the credit account records, etc.) The co-account manager can also set limitations on the credit account. The system 1400 can detect profile settings for the co-account manager. The co-account manager can also have a player account on the account server 1404. The profile settings can include limitations on the player's use of the credit account(s). For example, if the co-account manager is a co-account holder for one of the credit accounts, the system 1400 can look at the co-account manager's account profile to determine if the co-account manager has set use limits or restraints on using that credit account for wagering game purposes. In another example, the player account 1403 can be associated with a social network account, and the co-account manager can be a social contact (e.g., a trusted friend, a money manager, a social worker, etc.) on the social network. The player can use the system 1400 to designate the social contact (e.g., within the account settings panel 1419), as an authorized agent to help the player to gamble more responsibly by giving the social contact the ability to set limitations for the player. The social contact can have an account (e.g., a social network account, a financial account, a player account, etc.) that the system 1400 can access. The system 1400 can look at the social contact's account for any limitations that the social contact has set on the use of the credit account(s) they are authorized to co-manage. In some embodiments, the co-account manager can set limitations by creating account rules which include actions that limit the use of the credit account.
FIG. 15 is a flow diagram illustrating determining limitations on credit accounts for augmenting a wagering game session account, according to some embodiments. The description for FIG. 15 will refer to some previous illustrations, such as FIGS. 9, 13, and 14. In FIG. 15, the flow 1500 begins at processing block 1502, where a wagering game system (“system”) detects activation of a Quick Add procedure. The Quick Add procedure can be a single-selection Quick Add procedure. A single selection Quick Add procedure can be initiated by a single activity or event (e.g., a single click of a control, a single touch of a button, a single trigger, etc.) The system completes the rest of the operations, without additional player intervention, to transact an electronic account transaction, such as from a credit account, into the wagering game session account. FIG. 13 illustrates one example of a graphical user interface 1308 that can activate a single selection Quick Add procedure with a single touch of the with a Quick Add button 1328. FIG. 5A illustrates another example. In FIG. 5A, the icons 506, 508, 510, 512 can be “single-selection” Quick Add icons that can automatically augment a wagering game session balance with a single a touch. The system can take a default amount of funds from the accounts associated with the icons 506, 508, 510, 512. One of those icons 506, 508, 510, 512, or others not shown, can relate to electronic accounts, such as a credit account, that can be monitored and restricted according to limitation rules.
The flow 1500 continues at processing block 1504, where the system determines a credit account, and credit account access information, associated with the Quick Add procedure. The system can determine the credit account, in one embodiment, as described in FIG. 13, by utilizing an account controller. In other embodiments, the system can utilize wagering game servers (e.g., see FIG. 3), account servers (e.g., see FIG. 14), and other devices in conjunction with an account controller. The system can determine the credit account access information by reading from a player account on a wagering game network (e.g., see FIG. 14). In some embodiments, the system is configured to store the credit account access information in the player account so that the player can avoid having to input credit card information at a wagering game machine and enter account information while playing a wagering game. Nevertheless, in some embodiments, the system can obtain the credit account access information from a card swipe at a wagering game machine, or other similar ways. For example, a wagering game machine can be configured with a Quick Add reader (e.g., magnetic card reader, a touch pad, etc.) to which a player can touch or couple a personal storage device (e.g., an RFID card, a laptop, a cell phone, etc.) that can remotely transfer information to the Quick Add reader. The Quick Add reader can pull the credit account access information from the personal storage device. The Quick Add reader can have a default transaction amount associated within it, which the system can use, as described in processing block 1506.
The flow 1500 continues at processing block 1506, where the system determines a transaction amount to transfer from the credit account to the wagering game session account. The system can determine a transaction amount to transfer by searching a player profile to determine a default transaction amount, as illustrated in FIG. 14. In other embodiments, the system can use a default system amount, not a player indicated amount. For instance, a wagering game machine can store a default transaction amount associated with a Quick Add mechanism. When the Quick Add mechanism is initiated, the system can look at the stored default transaction amount on the wagering game machine. In other embodiments, the player can indicate the transaction amount as part of an interview at the beginning of a wagering game session. In other embodiments, the system can prompt the player to select a specific transaction amount after the player initiates the Quick Add procedure. For example, in FIG. 5B, any of the icons 506, 508, 510, 512 can be Quick Add icons that initiate a Quick Add procedure when selected, but then prompt the player for a specific transaction amount. When the player first selects one of the icons 506, 508, 510, 512, the system can display the denomination icons 514. Each denomination icon 514 can be associated with a pre-determined money value equivalent in value to the denomination amount show on the icons 514. When the player selects a specific denomination icon 514, the system can use the denomination amount to deduct from the accounts associated with the icons 506, 508, 510, 512, or from other accounts, such as from a credit account.
The flow 1500 continues at processing block 1508, where the system determines limitations on use of the credit account to augment the wagering game session account. The system can access rules stores as illustrated in FIG. 13. In some embodiments, the system can access private and public databases over a communications network, like the Internet, to determine whether the wagering game player is restrained, or prohibited, from using the credit account for wagering game purposes. The limitations can also be use limits set by the player, by the casino, by third parties, or others, that have been authorized to limit the amount of funds that can be transacted from the credit account during a specified period of time, by a specific player, etc.
The flow 1500 continues at decisional block 1510, where the system determines whether there are use limitations. If there are use limitations, the flow 400 continues at block 1602 in FIG. 16, to determine how to enforce the use limitations. If there are no use limitations, the flow 1500 continues at processing block 1512, where the system transfers the transaction amount from the credit account to the wagering game session account. In some embodiments, the system can access the credit account for the transfer, as illustrated in FIG. 13. In other embodiments, the system can transfer funds from the credit account to a wagering account that is separate from the wagering game session account, and then subsequently transfer the funds to the wagering game session account, or vice versa. In yet other embodiments, instead of accessing the credit account after a Quick Add procedure is activated, the system can access a holding account that has been pre-loaded with funds from the credit account, like described in some embodiments of FIG. 14 above.
In processing block 1603, after finding the player's name and/or other identifying information from potential sources, the system can stop the transaction, and provide a message explaining the reason(s) for the use restriction(s). The system can present the message through a GUI as a pop-up message (e.g., see message 1412 in FIG. 14). For future reference, the system can store the player's name and any discovered restrictions on the player in a database record related to the player's account. In some embodiments, the system can periodically scan through sources to find the player's restricted status. For example, when a player first registers for a player account with a casino, the system can run a check to see if the player is listed on any sort of list restricting the use of credit accounts. The system can store that information for quick access, and run periodic updates to see if the restrictions have been removed.
In addition to use restrictions, or prohibitions, some limitations can be use limits, which limit, but don't automatically restrict, the player from using the credit account unless the player has reached a spending limit. At processing block 1604 the system determines if the player has reached, or exhausted, a spending limit set by the system. The limit can be a “session” limit, or in other words, a system imposed limit on credit account spending during any given wagering game session. The session limit can include an amount that can be utilized by any or all credit accounts for any wagering game session. To prevent the player from circumventing the limit by repeatedly starting game sessions, the session limit can also have a periodic time limitation, like a daily limit, wherein the player is restricted from utilizing any or all of the credit accounts for quick balance augmentation until the next day. The session balance can be stored and associated with an account server, with a wagering game machine, as a stand-alone background routine, etc. The player can use the credit account until the limit has been reached. Once reached, the system can provide a message, in processing block 1610, that notifies the player that the session limit is exhausted.
If there is no session limit, or if the session limit has not been exhausted, the system, at processing block 1606, can check for another type of limitation, a credit limit. A credit limit is a limit set on the credit account itself. The credit limit can be set by the player, as a self-imposed spending limit, by a social contact, by the credit account, or by other individuals, groups, third parties, and mechanisms. The system can look for money limits, time period limits, or a combination of the two like a daily spending limit. As mentioned previously, some use limitations can be self-imposed limits stored by the player as account rules in a player profile and/or player account settings. At processing block 1606, the system can check to see if the credit limit has been exhausted. For instance, the system can store a credit transfer balance to determine how many credit transfers have been made by the player, what the total amount of the credit transfers have been, and what times periods have transpired between credit transfers.
If the system determines that a credit limit has been exhausted, then, at processing block 1608, the system can check to see if there are other credit account(s) associated with the player account. If so, the flow 1500 can return to block 1602 and the system can check for limitations on the other credit account(s).
If, however, there are no other credit accounts, and the credit limit is exhausted, the flow 1500 continues at processing block 1610, where the system can provide a message that the credit limit is exhausted.
Returning now to processing block 1606, if the session limit and/or the credit limit have not been exhausted, the flow 1500 continues at processing block 1612, where the system determines whether the player account has not yet exceeded a use limit, but that the request for the transaction amount would exceed the use limits. For example, the system may determine that a default transaction amount, such as $100, would exceed the dollar amount of the limit, but the limit still has some balance left, such as $25. At processing block 1614, the system can provide a message that the limit would be exceeded if the default transaction amount were transferred (e.g., if the system were to transfer $100), but the system can still transfer up to the use limit (i.e., the $25 amount up to the limit). In some embodiments, the system can provide a message and prompt the player whether the player wants to transfer the remainder (i.e., the $25 amount). In some embodiments, the system can transfer the remainder automatically.
Returning now to processing block 1612, if there are no use restrictions, and if the use limits are not exhausted, or would not be exceeded with the transaction, the flow returns to block 1512 in FIG. 15, where the system transfers the transaction amount from the credit account to the wagering game session account. The system can then store the transaction amount in a memory store (e.g., in the credit transfer balance) that the system uses to track how much money has been transferred within the use limit. The system can coordinate any transaction fees, or other costs associated with the credit account transaction, as well as the wagering game session balance, the player account balance, or other balances necessary to track the funds transfers.
requesting a transfer, from the credit account to the player account, of an amount of money equal to one of the one or more money values, wherein the requesting is in response to the third user input.
preventing display of the credit account access data during the wagering game session.
presenting one or more indications of the one or more money values with the graphical user interface control during the wagering game session.
using one of the different money amounts that is associated with the one of the plurality of graphical representations as the amount of money to withdraw from the credit account.
restricting transfer of the amount of money equal to the one or more money values from the credit account to the player account during the time period.
restricting the player account from overriding the borrowing limit during the wagering game session.
presenting an indication, via at least one of the one or more processors of the wagering game machine, of the restricting of the transfer of the amount of money from the credit account.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the first wagering game player account belongs to the wagering game player, and wherein the second wagering game player account belongs to a social contact of the wagering game player, and wherein the second wagering game player account is linked to the first wagering game player account.
determining the indication of the withdrawal limit and the indication of the time period from the second wagering game player account.
determining that the money amount plus the additional money amount would exceed the withdrawal limit.
transferring the additional money amount from the credit account to a wagering game session account balance.
12. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the credit account is any one or more of a credit card account, an Internet credit account, a bank line of credit, and a casino line of credit.
restrict a transfer of the amount of money from the credit account.
determine the indication of the withdrawal limit and the time period from the second wagering game player account.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the account controller is further configured to initiate the selection of the graphical control when a wagering game account balance reaches a minimum dollar amount.
present a message, via a graphical user interface, indicating the restricting of the transfer of the first money amount from the credit account.
18. The system of claim 14, wherein the time period is a calendar day.
transferring the amount of money from the credit card account to the wagering game player account during the time period.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the graphical control is pre-configured, before a start of the wagering game session, with the amount of money as a default withdrawal amount.
restrict transfer of the additional amount of money from the credit card account to the wagering game player account during the time period.
means for augmenting a meter on the wagering game machine with the second amount of money, wherein the meter indicates a wagering game session account balance.
means for using the money value as the amount of money after detecting the activation of the graphical control.
means for assigning the withdrawal limit to the additional credit account.
25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the credit account is any one or more of a credit card account, an Internet credit account, a bank line of credit, and a casino line of credit.
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