Methods for game player identification

Abstract

One embodiment of the invention includes a method of monitoring behavior of a group of casino game players. The method includes identifying a group of casino game players for profiling; profiling the game players based upon their actions in a gaming establishment; and providing options for game play and service to the game players based upon their profile.

1 . A method of monitoring behavior of a group of casino game players, comprising: 
 Identifying a group of casino game players for profiling;    Profiling the game players based upon their actions in a gaming establishment; and    Providing options for game play and service to the game players based upon their profile.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the profiles are categorized.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the categories comprise one or more of high rollers, gambling addicts and game cheaters.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein profiling is performed using artificial intelligence.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein options are provided using artificial intelligence.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the players are profiled using biometric parameters.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising maintaining a database of players and a profile for each player.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising maintaining options for game play and for service for each player in the database.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the options include limiting access to gaming machines for players having a preselected profile.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the options include providing additional services for players having a preselected profile.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the options include banning players having a preselected profile from playing games.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the options include monitoring player behavior and identifying correlations with behavior of other players.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein correlations are identified with artificial intelligence.  
   
   
       14 . A method of identifying suspicious gaming patron activity comprising: 
 collecting data regarding the activity of a multiplicity of gaming patrons;    processing the data with a neural network to identify typical gaming patterns; and    analyzing the activity of gaming patrons and identifying activity that departs from the typical gaming patterns.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  comprising identifying the gaming activity of an individual gaming patron and developing a gaming profile for the individual gaming patron from the data collected from the individual gaming patron.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising comparing the activity of a gaming patron to the patron's gaming profile and declaring a possible identify theft if the activity of the gaming patron deviates from the patron's gaming profile.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13  comprising processing data from a general gaming population to develop a range of expected gaming activity, and identifying gaming activity that falls outside the range of expected gaming activity as suspicious.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising processing data to identify behavior indicative of a conspiracy by more than one patron to defraud a casino.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising analyzing the behavior of groups of patrons in order to identify conspiracies.  
   
   
       20 . A machine-assisted method comprising: 
 tracking the gaming activity of a patron;    if the gaming activity of the patron meets a criterion, identifying the patron as a preferred status patron, collecting a biometric sample from the patron, and associating the biometric sample with patron's preferred status;    collecting biometric samples from patrons in a gaming establishment;    if one of the biometric samples collected from patrons in the gaming establishment matches the biometric sample of the preferred status patron, declaring that patron from whom the biometric sample was collected should receive preferred treatment.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising developing a profile for identifying high rollers and comparing a patron's activities to the profile.