Patent ID: 8162755

Claim:
A method of processing data in a gaming environment, comprising: providing a casino floor system including a plurality of gaming machines configured to accept wagers, present games based on said wagers, provide awards based on the outcomes of said games, and generate data regarding various gaming activities, and a central data repository configured to collect and store data regarding various gaming activities; providing a main casino system including at least one interface between said main casino system and said casino floor system, a plurality of general casino operating systems, said general casino operating systems being generally disparate, and at least one open interface associated with each of said plurality of general casino operating systems; generating a first set of data at a first of said plurality of gaming machines regarding money input into said first gaming machine; transmitting said first set of data from said first gaming machine to said central data repository; storing said first set of data at said central data repository; retransmitting said first set of data from said central data repository to a first open interface at a gaming accounting system; translating said first set of data at said first open interface at said gaming accounting system from a first format adapted for use by said central data repository to a second format adapted for use by said gaming accounting system; utilizing said first set of data by said gaming accounting system; generating a second set of data at a second of said plurality of gaming machines regarding an insertion of a player tracking card at said second gaming machine; transmitting said second set of data from said second gaming machine to said central data repository; storing said second set of data at said central data repository; retransmitting said second set of data from said central data repository to a second open interface at a player tracking system; translating said second set of data at said second open interface at said player tracking system from said first format adapted for use by said central data repository to a third format adapted for use by said player tracking system; utilizing said second set of data by said player tracking system; generating a request for information at one of said plurality of general casino operating systems; translating said request for information to said first format adapted for use by said central data repository to a first disparate format adapted for use by said one of said plurality of general casino operating systems; sending said request for information from said one of said plurality of general casino operating systems to said central data repository; and forwarding said requested information from said central data repository to said one of said plurality of general casino operating systems.