System for playing a slot machine game

Abstract

Systems and methods for playing live casino games. The systems have changeable displays which portray virtual playing cards or symbols to live participants. Shuffling, cutting, dealing and return of playing cards are accomplished using data processing functions within an electronic game processor or processors which enable these functions to be performed quickly and without manual manipulation of playing cards. The invention allows casinos to speed play and reduce the risk of cheating while maintaining the attractive ambiance of a live table game. The systems can also be multi-user slot machines using the processor to associate or assign one or more symbols either with the virtual playing cards or as slot symbols in participant subsets. The participant subsets are compared to a predetermined list so that payoffs can be awarded on the basis of winning symbols or combinations of symbols.

1 . A system for playing a slot machine game involving a plurality of live participants, the plurality of live participants personally attending the slot machine game at a gaming table, comprising:
 one or more participant video displays providing a plurality of changeable participant display images and including a touch-screen capability for accepting selections mode by a respective one of the live participants;   slot symbols which vary during play of the slot machine game, a set of slot symbols being presented to each participant to provide participant slot symbol groups which vary over a spun including winning slot symbol groups and losing slot symbol groups when slot symbols are assigned to the live participants during ploy of the slot machine game;   at least one game processor coupled to the participant video displays, the dealer control and the participant identification readers, the at least one game processor for processing data to at least partially administer play of the slot machine game; instructing the participant video displays to display at least any slot symbols and any slot symbol group images indicating the slot symbols and slot symbol groups assigned to each identified participant; and indicating when a participant has received an award in response to receiving a winning slot symbol group.   
   
   
       2 . A system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a pay line display for displaying participant slot symbols, responsive to commands from the at least one game processor. 
   
   
       3 . A system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a payline display for displaying any active participant slot symbols by the at least one participant video display. 
   
   
       4 . A system according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one payline display for displaying any participant slot symbols, responsive to commands from the game processor, the at least one payline display including at least one secondary payline display which is separate from said at least one participant video display. 
   
   
       5 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one game processor additionally performs acts including recording game action to enable subsequent analysis or replay. 
   
   
       6 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein there is at least one dealer control. 
   
   
       7 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more participant identification readers include a capability for reading coded data indicating security information from the identification card; and   the one or more game processors for processing data also perform acts of:
 receiving the coded security information from the participant identification reader, the coded security information including file access data; 
 accessing a stored security clearance code using the file access data; 
 accepting input data keyed into a touchscreen on the one or more participant video displays from a respective live participant associated with the identification card; and 
   comparing the stored security code with the accepted input data to confirm the input data from the user.   
   
   
       8 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more participant identification readers include a capability for reading a smart card to determine an available credit amount regarding credit purchased from a casino associated with the gaming table. 
   
   
       9 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more participant identification readers include a capability for reading information from a smart card. 
   
   
       10 . A system according to  claim 1 , and further comprising at least one chip sensor for detecting betting chips placed by the at least one live player, the at least one chip sensor including RF transponders. 
   
   
       11 . A system according to  claim 1 , and further comprising at least one chip sensor for detecting betting chips placed by at least one player, the at least one chip sensor being capable of reading the value of the betting chips as a result of the betting chips including an electronically programmed identification circuit. 
   
   
       12 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one participant video display provides participant display images which include a border portion of the display which indicates outcome of the slot machine game for the respective player. 
   
   
       13 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one participant video display provides participant display images which include a border portion of the display which indicates outcome of the slot machine game for the respective player by changing color, with one color corresponding to a winning slot symbol group and another color corresponding to a losing slot symbol group. 
   
   
       14 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one participant video display provides participant display images which include a border portion of the display which indicates outcome of the slot machine game for the respective player and the participant video display is positioned to allow an overhead camera to record a state of the display. 
   
   
       15 . A system according to  claim 1 , and further comprising at least one participant identification reader for reading identification of at least one participant using a sensor which detects biological information from a body of the participant.