AU2006222664A1 - Gaming machine and system warning of problem gambling - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: Gaming machine and system warning of problem gambling The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing known to me/us: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to gaming machines and systems.

Background Information Playing games gambling) at gaming machines such as slot machines or poker machines is a very well-known amusement in many countries. However, for some players, such gambling can get out of control, and do various harm to the players or to other people. In recent years, such problems caused by gambling are referred to as "problem gambling", and various attempts are being made to protect players from it.

One such attempt is to require gaming machines and systems to monitor the gaming status of players, such as total losses and the duration of gaming time, and then, based on that status, to display a warning message or image of problem gambling on a screen Japan published patent applications 1998-094666, 1998-151265, 2001- 070550). Such a warning message and image is, however, seen by the players getting hooked on games, just during game play. Accordingly, the power of persuasion of the message and image is difficult to improve.

In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved gaming machine and system that are able to provide players with a more persuasive warning of problem gambling. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A gaming machine according to the present invention comprises a printer unit configured to produce a printed output that includes a warning message or image related to problem gambling. Preferably, the printed output is a ticket that indicates the amount of an award that a player has won. In the case where the gaming machine further comprises a player tracking unit configured to read customer ID data from an ID card of the player for authentication, preferably,.the printed output is a message or image printed on the ID card.

The printed message or image is easily visible to a person who has calmed down after playing a game at the gaming machine according to the present invention.

Accordingly, the printed message and image are more persuasive than messages and images displayed on a screen of the gaming machine.

IN Preferably, the gaming machine according to the present invention further comprises a monitoring unit configured to monitor the playing status of the player, and a warning unit configured to control the printer unit based on the playing status of the player. The gaming machine can provide the printed message or image to a player who is to be clearly warned of problem gambling at an appropriate time, by using the detected playing status, such as the total losses of the player, and the total amount of time that the player has been playing games. Accordingly, the printed message and image are more IN persuasive.

A gaming system according to the present invention comprises a customer o management server and a gaming machine that communicates with the customer

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management server. The customer management server comprises: a player tracking controller configured to authenticate a player of the gaming machine based on customer ID data received from the gaming machine; a customer database configured to store customer information linked to customer ID data; and a warning controller configured to is instruct the gaming machine to warn the player of problem gambling based on the playing status of the player received from the gaming machine and the customer information linked to the customer ID data. The gaming machine comprises: a player tracking unit configured to read customer ID data from an ID card of the player and then send the customer ID data to the customer management server; a monitoring unit configured to monitor the playing status of the player and inform the customer management server of the playing status; a printer unit configured to print a message or image on the ID card; and a warning unit configured to control the printer unit according to the instructions from the customer management server.

The gaming system can provide the printed message or image to a player in order to clearly warn him or her of problem gambling at an appropriate time, by using the detected playing status, such as the total losses of the player and the total amount of time the player has been playing games. Here, by retrieving the customer information of a player stored in the customer database, the gaming system can decide the appropriate timing of a warning regarding problem gambling based on a more detailed status of a player, such as the playing history of a player during the last several days/weeks/months, and among a plurality of the gaming machines linked to the server. Accordingly, the printed message and image are more persuasive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring now to the attached drawings which form a part of this original disclosure: FIG. 1 is a perspective view which shows the appearance of a slot machine s according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram which shows a control unit included in the slot machine; FIG. 3 is a block diagram which shows a player tracking unit included in the slot machine; 1o FIG. 4 is a block diagram which shows the configuration of a customer management server linked to the slot machine; FIG. 5A is a plan view of a ticket which is printed by the slot machine; FIG. 5B is a plan view of a ticket with a warning regarding problem gambling printed thereon by the slot machine; and FIG. 6 is a plan view of an ID card of a player after the player has finished gaming on the slot machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Selected embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the drawings. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that the following descriptions of the embodiments of the present invention are provided for illustration only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

An embodiment of the present invention is a gaming machine, preferably, a video slot machine which is placed in a casino. First, the fundamental configuration of the slot machine will be explained (see FIG. This slot machine comprises a boxshape cabinet 1 with a front panel 2 that is freely openable and closable. Three display windows 3A, 3B, and 3C are provided on the upper portion, the middle portion, and the lower portion of the front panel 2, respectively. A player tracking unit 4 is installed between the upper display window 3A and the middle display window 3B. The player tracking unit includes a touch panel 4A and a card slot 4B. On the front panel 2, a coin inlet 5, a bill/ticket inlet 6, a ticket outlet 7, and buttons 8 with various functions are provided between the middle display window 3B and the lower display window 3C, and O a coin outlet 9, a coin receiver 10, and a speaker 11 for providing sound effect are O installed below the lower display window 3C.

The three display windows 3A, 3B, and 3C reproduce various images, for example, images for use in decoration such as the logo of a game developer, images for use in advertisements, images for use in visual effects in games, and visualized information on games such as pay tables, illustrations of game content, and jackpot values. In particular, the middle display window 3B displays three (or more) symbol ,Ocolumns, the number of available credits of a player, the amount of a bet, and the amount of an award that the player has won.

The player tracking unit 4 is linked to a customer management server through a LAN (local area network) in the casino. A player who will start gaming on the slot machine will first insert his or her ID card into the card slot 4B. The ID card is preferably a removable rewritable card, or alternatively may be a piece of electronic paper. The ID card is prepared and provided to each player generally when registering the player with Is the customer management server at the reception desk or the like in the casino. The ID card stores identification data (customer ID data) of the player. A card reader installed in the card slot 4B reads the customer ID data from the ID card inserted in the card slot 4B, and then the player tracking unit 4 sends the customer ID data to the customer management server. The server then authenticates the player based on the received customer ID data. Here, if necessary, the server may require the player to enter additional personal information through the touch panel 4A. The ID card also stores the number of points that are provided to the player, depending on the amount of money that the player has spent in the casino. For example, the player can receive a bonus such as a free accommodation coupon based on the number of the points. If the authentication is successful, the touch panel 14 will display the number of the points. When the player finishes gaming on the slot machine, the player tracking unit 4 preferably updates the number of points stored in the ID card based on the money that the player has spent on the slot machine, and informs the server of the updated number of points.

Coins and bills that the player enters into the coin inlet 5 and the bill/ticket inlet 6, respectively, are counted by a counter installed inside the cabinet 1, and then, the total amount of the coins and bills are displayed on the middle windows 3B as credits of the player. The player may also enter a ticket into the bill/ticket inlet 6. The ticket is preferably a piece of thermal paper, and on the surface of the ticket, the amount of the player's credits is printed in letters and a bar code (see FIG. 5A). The amount of credits is decoded by a ticket reader installed in the bill/ticket inlet 6 from the bar code printed on the ticket, and then the amount of credits is displayed on the middle display window 3B.

The player operates the slot machine by using the buttons 8. For example, by s using the buttons 8, the player can select one or more winning lines of the symbol matrix displayed on the middle display window 3B, and then the selected winning line will be shown in the middle display window 3B. The player then enters a bet into the slot machine, and the amount of the bet will be displayed on the middle display window 3B.

The player will then push a spin button, and the symbols displayed on the middle display io window 3B will start moving in the vertical direction. After that, the player pushes one or more stop buttons, and then the symbols will stop column by column. When the selected winning line of the stopped symbol matrix includes a winning combination, the player will win an award depending on the bet and the probability of the winning combination. The player will then push a payout button, and coins equivalent to the player's credit will be discharged out of the coin outlet 9 from a coin hopper installed in the cabinet 1 and stored in the coin receiver 10. Alternatively, a ticket will come out of the ticket outlet 7. On the ticket, the amount of the player's credits will be printed in numeral letters and a bar code (cf. FIG. 5A) by a ticket printer (preferably, a thermal printer, or alternatively, an inkjet printer) installed in the ticket outlet 7. At the time of the payout, the player can also use the buttons 8 to select either coins or a ticket.

The main functions of the slot machine such as gaming and providing lighting/sound effects are controlled by a control unit installed in the cabinet 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit includes a first CPU 21, a first ROM 22, a first RAM 23, a credit controller 24, a first operating unit 25, a payout controller 26, a first warning unit 27, a random-number generator 28, a lighting controller 29, a sound controller 30, a first display controller 31, a monitoring unit 32, and a first input/output port 33. The first CPU 21 runs various programs and thereby controls other components of the control unit based on instructions received from the first operating unit 25. The first ROM 22 stores programs and databases used by the first CPU 21. The first RAM 23 temporarily stores variables, parameters, and the like, that are calculated by the first CPU 21. The credit controller 24 manages the amount of the player's credits, which the ticket reader 24A decodes from the ticket inserted in the bill/ticket inlet 6, or which is equivalent to the amount of money inserted into the coin inlet 5 and the bill/ticket inlet 6 and counted by the coin counter 24B. The first operating unit 25 receives various instructions from the buttons 8 as described above. The payout controller 26 performs the payout of the player's credits in coins discharged from the coin hopper 26A, or by using a ticket on which the amount of the credits are printed by the ticket printer 26B. The first warning unit 27 controls the ticket printer 26B according to instructions of the customer s management server preferably, or the monitoring unit 32 alternatively, and thereby printing a warning message or an image of problem gambling on the ticket (cf. FIG. The random-number generator 28 generates and outputs random number(s) to the first CPU 21, which is used in a lottery process of each game. Depending on the random number(s), for example, an arrangement of the stopped symbols that are displayed in the to middle display window 3B can include a winning combination. The lighting controller 29 controls lighting devices 29A installed in the three display windows 3A, 3B, and 3C, the buttons 8, and other surfaces of the cabinet 1, and thereby produces lighting effects for games. The sound controller 27 controls the speaker 11 to output voice announcements and sound effects for games. The first display controller 31 controls Is displays 31A that include the three display windows 3A, 3B, and 3C. The monitoring unit 32 monitors the playing status of the player, such as the amount of losses of the player and the total amount of time in which the player has played games on the slot machine, and will inform the customer management server of the playing status. The monitoring unit 32 may detect that the losses or the total amount of play time exceeds an upper limit, and then instruct the first warning unit 27 to print the warning message or image. The first I/O port 33 is used for data communications between the control unit and the player tracking unit 4 or the customer management server.

The player tracking unit includes another control unit (hereafter, a sub-control unit) separated from the above control unit in the cabinet 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the subcontrol unit includes a second CPU 31, a second ROM 32, a second RAM 33, a card reader 34, a second operating unit 35, a second warning unit 36, a second I/O port 37, a second display control unit 38, and a first network interface 39. The second CPU 31 runs programs, and thereby controls other components of the sub-control unit. The second ROM 32 stores programs and databases used by the second CPU 31. The second RAM 33 temporarily stores variables, parameters, and the like, that are calculated by the second CPU 31. The card reader 34 reads data (in particular, customer ID data and the number of points) from an ID card that a player inserts into the card slot 4B, and outputs the data to the second CPU 31, which then sends the received customer ID data to the customer management server through the first network interface 39. When the player finishes gaming on the slot machine, the second CPU 31 preferably updates the number Sof points stored in the ID card based on the money that the player has spent on the slot machine, and informs the server of the updated number of points. The second operating unit 35 receives inputs from the touch panel 4A, and then informs the second CPU 31 of s the inputs. The card printer 36A is preferably an inkjet printer installed in the card slot 4B, and is able to print various data or images, such as numbers and letters representing the number of the player's points, on the surface of the ID card inserted in the card slot ,O 4B. Here, the ID card may be a piece of electronic paper, and the card printer 36A may

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be a device to update the image data on the electronic paper. The second warning unit 36 S lo controls the card printer 26B according to instructions of the customer management server preferably, or the monitoring unit 36 alternatively, and thereby printing a warning message or image of problem gambling on the ID card (cf. FIG. The second I/O port 37 is used for data communications between the sub-control unit and the above control unit. The second display controller 38 controls displays 38A installed in the play Is tracking unit 4 to display messages and information, particularly personal information of the player such as the number of points. The displays 38A include a display unit integrated with the touch panel 4A. The first network interface 39 is used for data communications between the sub-control unit or the control unit and the customer management server through the LAN in the casino.

The customer management server primarily consists of four components: a second network interface 41, a player tracking controller 42, a customer database 43, and a warning controller 44, which are interconnected and thereby communicate with each other. The second network interface 41 is used for data communications between the slot machine and the other components of the customer management server through the LAN in the casino. The player tracking controller 42 receives the customer ID data from the slot machine through the LAN, and then verifies the received customer ID date against authorized customer ID data stored in the customer database 43, thereby authenticating the player of the slot machine. If necessary to authenticate the player, the player tracking controller 42 may require the slot machine to display a message that instructs the player to enter additional personal information a personal identification number) through the touch panel 4A, then verifying the received personal information against personal information of authorized customers that is stored in the customer database 43. In addition, the player tracking controller 42 may update the player's points stored in the customer database 43 based on the data received from the slot machine. The customer database 43 stores personal information of the registered customers. In the customer database 43, the registered personal information is linked to specific customer ID data.

The personal information preferably includes the total amount of money that each customer has spent on playing games, and total amount of losses of each customer on a day-by-day basis. The warning controller 44 monitors the playing status of the player through specific signals that are regularly received from the slot machine. The playing status include total amount of losses of a player and the total amount of time that a player has played a game. The warning controller 44 further retrieves the personal information of the player, which is linked to the customer ID data that has been received from the slot lo machine in advance, thereby checking the playing history of the player during a fixed duration of time such as the last several days, weeks, or months, and among a plurality of the gaming machines linked to the server. The playing history preferably indicates the latest return ratio (a ratio of the total amount of awards that the player has won with respect to the total amount of money that the player has spent). When the return ratio 1is falls below a lower limit, the warning controller 44 will determine the timing at which a warning regarding problem gambling will be issued based on the playing status of the player, and at the time determined, will instruct the slot machine to print the warning message or image regarding problem gambling on a ticket or the ID card of the player (cf.

FIGs. 5B and 6).

The warning message or image of problem gambling preferably includes one of the following: the player's playing history (in particular, the player's return ratio); advice regarding problem gambling, which preferably are appropriately changed by either of the warning units 27, 39 of the slot machine or the warning controller 44 of the server, based on the playing status of the player; announcements regarding a helpline for problem gambling a telephone number or a website URL) as shown in FIGS. 5B and 6; the purposes of taxes on the money that the player has spent for playing games; and drawings that evoke harm or people harmed by problem gamblers, such as the drawing of a worried spouse or a crying child.

The gaming system according to the above-described embodiment of the present invention monitors the playing status of a player through the monitoring unit 32, and at an appropriate time, provides the player with a ticket or ID card on which a wamrning message or image regarding problem gambling is printed. Thus, the gaming system can provide a printed message or image to the player in order to clearly warn him or her of problem gambling at an appropriate time, and accordingly, make the printed message and image more persuasive. In particular, the server retrieves the customer information of a player stored in the customer database 43, and thereby, the gaming system can more appropriately determine the timing at which a warning regarding problem gambling will be provided based on a more detailed status of the player, such as his or her playing s history. Therefore, the printed message and image will be even more persiasive.

GENERAL INTERPRETATION OF TERMS In understanding the scope of the present invention, the term "configured" as used herein to describe a component, section or part of a device includes hardware and/or io software that is constructed and/or programmed to carry out the desired function. In understanding the scope of the present invention, the term "comprising" and its derivatives, as used herein, are intended to be open ended terms that specify the presence of the stated features, elements, components, groups, integers, and/or steps, but do not exclude the presence of other unstated features, elements, components, groups, integers and/or steps. The foregoing also applies to words having similar meanings such as the terms, "including", "having" and their derivatives. Also, the terms "part," "section," "portion," "member" or "element" when used in the singular can have the dual meaning of a single part or a plurality of parts. Finally, terms of degree such as "substantially", "about" and "approximately" as used herein mean a reasonable amount of deviation of the modified term such that the end result is not significantly changed. For example, these terms can be construed as including a deviation of at least 5% of the modified term if this deviation would not negate the meaning of the word it modifies.

While only selected embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that various changes and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Furthermore, the foregoing descriptions of the embodiments according to the present invention are provided for illustration only, and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims (7)

1. A gaming machine comprising a printer unit configured to produce a printed output that includes a warning message or image regarding problem gambling.

2. A gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the printed output is a ticket that indicates the amount of an award that a player has won.

3. A gaming machine according to claim 1, further comprising a player tracking unit configured to read customer ID data from an ID card of the player in order to authenticate the identity of the player; and wherein the printed output is a message or image printed on the ID card.

4. A gaming machine according to claim 1, further comprising a monitoring unit configured to monitor a playing status of the player, and a warning unit configured to control the printer unit based on the playing status of the player.

A gaming system comprising a customer management server and a gaming machine configured to communicate with the customer management server, wherein the customer management server comprises a player tracking controller configured to authenticate the identity of a player of the gaming machine based on customer ID data received from the gaming machine; a customer database configured to store customer information linked to customer ID data; and a warning controller configured to instruct the gaming machine to warn the player of problem gambling based on a playing status of the player received from the gaming machine and the customer information linked to the customer ID data; and the gaming machine comprises a player tracking unit configured to read customer ID data from an ID card of the player and then send the customer ID data to the customer management server; a monitoring unit configured to monitor the playing status of the player, and inform the customer management server of the playing status; a printer unit configured to print a message or image on the ID card; and a warning unit configured to control the printer unit in accordance with the instructions of the customer management server.

6. A gaming machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A gaming system comprising a customer management server and a gaming machine configured to communicate with the customer management server, the gaming system being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.