Gaming Apparatus And Method Relating To Linked Terminals

Abstract

Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to awards to players of linked gaming terminals and the distribution of those awards. Certain embodiments of the invention provide a method of making an award including monitoring one or more activity characteristics of a plurality of linked terminals of a gaming system; accumulating promotional credits based on the monitored activity characteristics, the promotional credits useable in a promotional award scheme to purchase one or more benefits; monitoring for the occurrence of an award event within the gaming system; and awarding a number of promotional credits to at least one user associated with the plurality of linked terminals in response to occurrence the award event, the number of promotional credits awarded to the at least one user being dependent on the accumulated promotional credits.

1 . A method of making an award, the method comprising:
 monitoring one or more activity characteristics of a plurality of linked terminals of a gaming system;   accumulating promotional credits based on the monitored activity characteristics, the promotional credits useable in a promotional award scheme to purchase one or more benefits;   monitoring for the occurrence of an award event within the gaming system; and   awarding a number of promotional credits to at least one user associated with the plurality of linked terminals in response to occurrence the award event, the number of promotional credits awarded to the at least one user being dependent on the accumulated promotional credits.   
   
   
       2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising monitoring at least one gaming terminal. 
   
   
       3 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising monitoring at least one non-gaming terminal. 
   
   
       4 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein monitoring one or more activity characteristics of the plurality of linked terminals includes monitoring the activity of at least two different types of terminals selected from the group comprising gaming machines, table games, sports book terminals, keno terminals, gaming system transaction terminals and entrance machines. 
   
   
       5 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising selecting the plurality of linked terminals as a subset of a set of terminals of the gaming system, such that the steps of monitoring activity characteristics, accumulating promotional credits, monitoring for the occurrence of an award event and awarding promotional credits are specific to the selected subset of terminals. 
   
   
       6 . A method as claimed in  claim 5 , comprising selecting a plurality of subsets of terminals and conducting the processes of monitoring activity characteristics, accumulating promotional credits, monitoring for the occurrence of an award event and awarding promotional credits for each subset. 
   
   
       7 . A method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the processes of monitoring activity characteristics, accumulating promotional credits, monitoring for the occurrence of an award event and awarding promotional credits is different between different subsets. 
   
   
       8 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising making the award to a terminal associated with the user. 
   
   
       9 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising requiring receipt of a user identifier of a user of the terminal at least in order to make an award. 
   
   
       10 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising providing a promotional period, during which promotional credits are accumulated and a non-promotional period during which promotional credits are not accumulated. 
   
   
       11 . A method as claimed in  claim 10 , comprising awarding a number of promotional credits on the occurrence of the award event during the promotional period. 
   
   
       12 . A method as claimed in  claim 11 , comprising awarding a number of promotional during the non-promotional period if the accumulated promotional credits from a previous promotional period have not been awarded. 
   
   
       13 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising providing a promotional period during which the process of awarding a number of promotional credits occurs on the occurrence of the award event and a non-promotional period during which the awarding process does not occur on the occurrence of the award event. 
   
   
       14 . A method as claimed in  claim 13 , comprising accumulating promotional credits during both the promotional and non-promotional periods. 
   
   
       15 . A method as claimed in  claim 13 , comprising accumulating promotional credits only during the promotional period. 
   
   
       16 . A method as claimed in  claim 10 , comprising ending the promotional period when the award event occurs. 
   
   
       17 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising providing the promotional award scheme independently of the games playable at the one or more gaming terminals so that the promotional award scheme does not affect the average return to player of the gaming system and each gaming terminal as measured in actual credits. 
   
   
       18 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more activity characteristics differ between at least two terminals. 
   
   
       19 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the terminals is a gaming terminal, and the one or more characteristics are selected from the group of: credits played at the gaming terminal; credits won at the gaming terminal; turnover of the gaming terminal; games played by the gaming terminal; and occurrence of a particular game event during play of the game at the gaming terminal. 
   
   
       20 . A method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the activity characteristic comprises any transaction or combination of transactions performable by the non-gaming terminal. 
   
   
       21 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising making a base award of promotional credits to a user based on one or more activity characteristics attributable to that user, the base award being separate from any award of promotional credits based on the accumulated promotional credits. 
   
   
       22 . A method as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the accumulation of promotional credits is directly related to at least one of the base award of promotional credits to a user or the use of promotional credits by a user. 
   
   
       23 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising monitoring for two or more activity characteristics at least one terminal. 
   
   
       24 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising adding promotional credits to the accumulated promotional credits according to random criteria. 
   
   
       25 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising providing a feature event following the process of awarding a number of promotional credits to one or more players, the feature event including an opportunity for a player to which promotional credits have been awarded to place at least some of those promotional credits at risk, in order to win a prize. 
   
   
       26 . A method as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein the prize comprises at least one of additional promotional credits or an award of actual credits. 
   
   
       27 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising defining a maximum number of promotional credits to be accumulated, wherein once the maximum number has been reached, further promotional credits are accumulated and awarded separately. 
   
   
       28 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising defining a minimum number of promotional credits and the process of awarding promotional credits comprises awarding the greater of the minimum number of promotional credits and the accumulated promotional credits. 
   
   
       29 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising displaying a value of the accumulated promotional credits on a display viewable by a user of at least one of the terminals. 
   
   
       30 . A gaming system comprising:
 a plurality linked terminals; and   a promotional jackpot controller comprising a memory storing data defining a value of promotional credits, the promotional jackpot controller arranged to:   receive data corresponding to one or more activity characteristics of the linked terminals;   increase the value of promotional credits stored in the memory based on the activity characteristics;   monitor for the occurrence of an award event; and   make an award of promotional credits in response to occurrence of the award event.   
   
   
       31 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein at least one of the linked terminals is a gaming terminal. 
   
   
       32 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein at least one of the linked terminals is a non-gaming terminal. 
   
   
       33 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 30 , comprising at least two different types of terminals selected from the group comprising gaming machines, table games, sports book terminals, keno terminals, gaming system transaction terminals and entrance machines. 
   
   
       34 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein monitoring for the occurrence of an award event is performed in relation to terminals in relation to which a currently valid player identifier has been submitted. 
   
   
       35 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the promotional jackpot controller is provided by a jackpot controller. 
   
   
       36 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 30 , comprising a timer or counter, the gaming system being arranged to initiate a promotional period when the timer or counter reaches a trigger value, and wherein it is only during the promotional period that the promotional jackpot controller increases the value of promotional credits stored in the memory. 
   
   
       37 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 30 , comprising a timer or counter, the gaming system being arranged to initiate a promotional period when the timer or counter reaches a trigger value, and wherein it is only during the promotional period that the jackpot controller monitors for the occurrence of an award event and in response causes the award of promotional credits. 
   
   
       38 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 30 , further comprising a progressive jackpot controller maintaining a progressive jackpot that is measured in actual credits. 
   
   
       39 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 30 , comprising a central display arranged to display a current value of promotional credits accumulated. 
   
   
       40 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein one or more of the terminals is associated with a printer and the gaming system is arranged to print and dispense a ticket with indicia that indicates the number of promotional credits awarded to a player. 
   
   
       41 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 30 , comprising at least one redemption terminal at which the promotional credits can be redeemed. 
   
   
       42 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein a card reader is associated with at least one of the terminals and the gaming system is arranged to write data to a card inserted in the card reader that indicates the number of promotional credits awarded to a player. 
   
   
       43 . A promotional jackpot controller comprising a memory storing data defining a value of promotional credits, the promotional jackpot controller arranged to:
 receive data corresponding to one or more activity characteristics of a plurality of linked terminals;   increase the value of promotional credits stored in the memory based on the activity characteristics;   monitor for the occurrence of an award event; and   make an award of promotional credits in response to occurrence of the award event.   
   
   
       44 . A promotional jackpot controller as claimed in  claim 43 , constituted by a progressive jackpot controller. 
   
   
       45 . A promotional jackpot controller as claimed in  claim 43 , arranged to monitor the activity of at least two different types of terminals selected from the group comprising gaming machines, table games, sports book terminals, keno terminals, gaming system transaction terminals and entrance machines. 
   
   
       46 . Computer program code which when executed by a processor implements the method of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       47 . A computer readable medium comprising the computer program code of  claim 46 . 
   
   
       48 . A data signal comprising the computer program code of  claim 46 .