Patent ID: 8616967

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory device electronically coupled to the at least one processor, in which the at least one memory device stores instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, direct the at least one processor to: determine that a gaming device is located within an approved gaming area, in which a user of the gaming device is permitted to engage in at least one wager-based gaming activity via the gaming device when the gaming device is used by the user from within approved gaming areas, in which the user is not permitted to engage in the at least one wager-based gaming activity via the gaming device when the gaming device is used by the user from within unapproved gaming areas, and in which the apparatus is operable to communicate with the gaming device via a wireless communications network; permit the user to engage in the at least one wager-based gaming activity via the gaming device based at least in part on determining that the gaming device is located within the approved gaming area; increment a counter as the user engages in the at least one wager-based gaming activity via the gaming device from within the approved gaming area, in which the counter comprises an amount of time, and in which the user is permitted to engage in the at least one wager-based gaming activity via the gaming device for a predetermined amount of time; after determining that the gaming device is located within the approved gaming area, determine that the gaming device moved to a location within an unapproved gaming area; and based at least in part on determining that the gaming device is located within the unapproved gaming area: (i) not permit the user to engage in the at least one wager-based gaming activity via the gaming device; and (ii) stop incrementing the counter.