Patent ID: 8771081

Claim:
A method for providing notification during an online casino game, comprising: initiating a first gameplay session of the online casino game, the first gameplay session associated with a first user and defined by gambling activity by the first user; initiating a second gameplay session of the online casino game, the second gameplay session associated with a second user and defined by gambling activity by the second user independent of the gambling activity by the first user, the gambling activity by the second user being not linked to group gameplay, at least part of the second gameplay session occurring simultaneously with the first gameplay session; in response to initiating the second gameplay session, determining, by a server, whether the first user and the second user are members of a common group having a group gaming objective, and if so, then displaying a message to the first user during the first gameplay session, the message to the first user identifying availability of the second user to establish a group gameplay session defined to link the gambling activity by the first user and the gambling activity by the second user so that outcomes of the gambling activity by the first and second users will be combined to achieve the group gaming objective, the method being executed by a processor.