Device, System and Method of Gaming

Abstract

Device, system and method of gaming. For example, a method of operating a game includes: based on a received pre-paid amount, assigning to a user a subscription period and a substantially unlimited amount of virtual game-related operations that the user is permitted to perform during the subscription period; virtually performing, during the subscription period, game-related operations in response to commands received from the user during the subscription period; after the subscription period elapses, calculating a profit-and-loss balance of the user based on the game-related operations virtually performed for the user during the subscription period; and if the profit-and-loss balance is positive, assigning to the user a prize calculated based on the profit-and-loss balance.

1 . A method of operating a game, the method comprising:
 based on a received pre-paid amount, assigning to a user a subscription period and a substantially unlimited amount of virtual game-related operations that the user is permitted to perform during the subscription period;   virtually performing, during the subscription period, game-related operations in response to commands received from the user during the subscription period;   after the subscription period elapses, calculating a profit-and-loss balance of the user based on the game-related operations virtually performed for the user during the subscription period; and   if the profit-and-loss balance is positive, assigning to the user a prize calculated based on the profit-and-loss balance.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein calculating the profit-and-loss balance comprises:
 subtracting a total amount of losses that the user incurred in the subscription period, from a total amount of winnings that the user accumulated in the subscription period.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein calculating the profit-and-loss balance comprises:
 subtracting a total amount of wagers that the user incurred in the subscription period, from a total amount of winnings that the user accumulated in the subscription period.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a purchase order from the user; and   virtually performing the purchase order based on substantially real-time market quotes.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 receiving a sale order from the user; and   virtually performing the sale order based on substantially real-time market quotes.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 permitting the user to perform a substantially unlimited number of virtual sales and virtual purchases during the subscription period.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein calculating the profit-and-loss balance comprises:
 for each security that user purchased during the subscription period,   if the user sold the security—subtracting the sale price of that security from the purchase price of that security, and   if the user did not sell the security—subtracting a market price of that security at the ending of the subscription period from the purchase price of that security.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying to the user a virtual game whose result involves chance;   receiving from the user a virtual wager amount;   increasing a loss counter by the virtual wager amount; and   if the user wins the virtual game, increasing a win counter by a winning amount.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 permitting the user to perform a substantially unlimited number of wagers during the subscription period.   
   
   
       10 . A gaming device comprising:
 an incoming payment module to receive a payment from a user;   a game management module to assign to the user, based on the received payment amount, a subscription period and a substantially unlimited amount of virtual game-related operations that the user is permitted to perform during the subscription period;   a gaming module to virtually perform, during the subscription period, game-related operations in response to commands received from the user during the subscription period;   an account module to calculate, after the subscription period elapses, a profit-and-loss balance of the user based on the game-related operations virtually performed for the user during the subscription period; and   an outgoing payment module to assign to the user, if the profit-and-loss balance is positive, a prize calculated based on the profit-and-loss balance.   
   
   
       11 . The gaming device of  claim 10 , wherein the account module is to calculate the profit-and-loss balance by subtracting a total amount of losses that the user incurred in the subscription period, from a total amount of winnings that the user accumulated in the subscription period. 
   
   
       12 . The gaming device of  claim 10 , wherein the account module is to calculate the profit-and-loss balance by subtracting a total amount of wagers that the user incurred in the subscription period, from a total amount of winnings that the user accumulated in the subscription period. 
   
   
       13 . The gaming device of  claim 10 , wherein the gaming module is to receive a purchase order from the user, and to virtually perform the purchase order based on substantially real-time market quotes. 
   
   
       14 . The gaming device of  claim 13 , wherein the gaming module is to receive a sale order from the user, and to virtually perform the sale order based on substantially real-time market quotes. 
   
   
       15 . The gaming device of  claim 10 , wherein the gaming module permits the user to perform a substantially unlimited number of virtual sales and virtual purchases during the subscription period. 
   
   
       16 . The gaming device of  claim 10 , wherein the gaming module permits the user to perform a substantially unlimited number of wagers during the subscription period. 
   
   
       17 . A gaming system comprising:
 a first payment module to receive a payment from a user;   a gaming device comprising:
 an incoming payment module to retrieve, from the first payment module, data related to the received payment; 
 a game management module to assign to the user, based on the received payment amount, a subscription period and a substantially unlimited amount of virtual game-related operations that the user is permitted to perform during the subscription period; 
 a gaming module to virtually perform, during the subscription period, game-related operations in response to commands received from the user during the subscription period; 
 an account module to calculate, after the subscription period elapses, a profit-and-loss balance of the user based on the game-related operations virtually performed for the user during the subscription period; and 
   and   a second payment module to assign to the user, if the profit-and-loss balance is positive, a prize calculated based on the profit-and-loss balance.   
   
   
       18 . The gaming system of  claim 17 , wherein the gaming device is portable, and wherein the first and second payment modules are external to the gaming device. 
   
   
       19 . The gaming system of  claim 17 , wherein the first payment module comprises an online incoming payment module, and wherein the second payment module comprises an online outgoing payment module. 
   
   
       20 . The gaming system of  claim 19 , wherein the gaming module is to operate offline in a disconnected mode from the first and second payment modules.