Patent ID: 8753193

Claim:
A method of operating a gaming system, the method comprising: (a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to operate with at least one input device to enable a player to interact with at least one award generating asset in a regulated game; (b) before associating one of a plurality of different skill levels with the player, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an award amount for a successful interaction with the at least one award generating asset, said determination being based on an initial average return to player percentage and at least a random number obtained from a source of random numbers; (c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to associate one of the plurality of different levels of skill with the player based on any interactions with the at least one award generating asset; and (d) after associating one of the plurality of different levels of skill with the player: (i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine one of a plurality of different average return to player percentages applicable to at least a portion of a game session according to the determined level of skill, wherein a first average return to player percentage is determined when the determined level of skill is a first level of skill and a second, lower return to player percentage is determined when the determined level of skill is a second, lower level of skill; and (ii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an award amount for a successful interaction with the at least one award generating asset using at least a random number obtained from the source of random numbers and the determined average return to player percentage.