Patent ID: 7867083

Claim:
A gaming system that allows players to play games via a plurality of remote player devices, said gaming system comprising: a plurality of gaming servers, each gaming server of said plurality of gaming servers configured to facilitate play of a respective game of a plurality of games by a player utilizing one of said remote player devices, each gaming server of said plurality of gaming servers including a controller that includes a processor, a memory, and an input/output device to facilitate communication via a network, each respective controller of each gaming server being programmed to facilitate play of said respective game and said respective game being one of the following games: poker, blackjack, slots, keno or bingo; and a website server, said website server configured to be operatively coupled via said network to said remote players devices, said website server comprising: a controller that comprises a processor, a memory, and input/output circuit to facilitate communication via said network, said input/output circuit allowing data to be communicated between said controller of said website server and said remote player devices, said controller of said website server being programmed to cause data representing a game selection display to be transmitted to said one remote player device prior to the transfer of operational control to a gaming server, said game selection display comprising a plurality of images, each image representing a respective game of said plurality of games, said controller of said website server being programmed to determine a game selection of a player at said one remote player device prior to the transfer of operational control to a gaming server, said controller of said website server being programmed to selectively permit data communication between said one remote player device and one of said gaming servers based on said game selection, said gaming system further comprising an authentication server, said authentication server including a controller that comprises a processor, a memory, and an input/output circuit to facilitate communication via said network, said controller of said authentication server being programmed to determine whether biometric data obtained via a biometric device coupled to said one remote player device matches biometric data of a registered player, said controller of said authentication server being programmed to allow the transfer of operational control to one of said gaming servers to selectively permit game play by said player utilizing said one remote player device based on whether said biometric data obtained via said biometric device matches biometric data of a registered player by transmitting, via said network, data indicative of whether said biometric data obtained via said biometric device matches biometric data of a registered player.