Patent ID: 8657668

Claim:
A system for conducting a game for a plurality of players, said system comprising: at least one wagering game terminal having a wagering game terminal interface and a random number generator, said wagering game terminal configured to execute program instructions to receive a wager through said wagering game interface and conduct a game of chance to generate at least one outcome based on a random number generated by said random number generator wherein at least one of said outcomes is associated with a reward accrued to a register of stored game credits exchangeable for real currency; a plurality of non-wagering game terminals each having a non-wagering game terminal interface, said non-wagering game terminals configured to execute program instructions to conduct a non-wagering game having a virtual economy in which players utilize virtual currency to purchase features in said non-wagering game through said non-wagering game terminal interface, wherein said features alter or enhance said non-wagering game and wherein purchase of features is separate from purchase, if any, of play of said non-wagering game; and an account server in communication with said non-wagering game terminals and said wagering game terminal, said account server configured to store a virtual currency record for each of a plurality of players, each virtual currency record containing data representing a quantity of virtual currency at least a portion of which is accrued based on at least one of said outcome of said wagering game for said player, said award in said wagering game for said player, and said game credits at said game terminal for said player, said account server further programmed to receive a signal from said non-wagering game terminals representing the purchase of features within said non-wagering games and execute program instructions to debit said virtual currency record of virtual currency consumed through purchase of features in said non-wagering games at said non-wagering game terminals in response to said signal.