Initializing and authenticating wagering game machines

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for initializing and authenticating wagering game machines are described herein. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a digital certificate from a mobile wagering game machine. The method can also include determining that the digital certificate is authentic and selecting wagering game content and services that are available to the mobile wagering game machine. The method can also include transmitting some of the available wagering game content to the mobile wagering game machine.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a digital certificate from a mobile wagering game machine, wherein the digital certificate includes information indicating wagering games to which the mobile wagering game machine has access;   determining that the digital certificate is authentic;   selecting wagering game content and services that are available to the mobile wagering game machine, wherein the selecting is based on the information included in the digital certificate; and   transmitting some of the available wagering game content to the mobile wagering game machine.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information also indicates services available to the mobile wagering game machine. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining that the digital certificate is not revoked and not expired.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the determining that the digital certificate in not revoked includes querying another wagering game network device. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the determining that the digital certificate in not revoked includes querying a locally stored copy of a revocation list. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining that the digital certificate is expired;   requesting revocation of the digital certificate.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the digital certificate complies with the X.509 standard. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the authenticity of the digital certificate is determined using a public encryption key associated with a certificate authority. 
   
   
       9 . A mobile wagering game machine comprising:
 an initialization controller configured to initialize the mobile wagering game machine for operation;   a memory device including a digital certificate, wherein the digital certificate includes information identifying wagering game content that the mobile wagering game machine has permission to access; and   a wagering game unit configured to present wagering games using the wagering game content.   
   
   
       10 . The mobile wagering game machine of  claim 9 , wherein the digital certificate conforms to the X.509 standard. 
   
   
       11 . The mobile wagering game machine of  claim 9 , wherein the initialization controller is configured to receive a boot record and the digital certificate over a physically secure wired network. 
   
   
       12 . The mobile wagering game machine of  claim 9 , wherein the digital certificate also includes information identifying services that the mobile wagering game machine has permission to access. 
   
   
       13 . The mobile wagering game machine of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a secure store configured to securely store a private encryption key and the digital certificate.   
   
   
       14 . The mobile wagering game machine of  claim 13 , wherein the secure store includes a trusted platform module. 
   
   
       15 . A system comprising:
 a digital certificate server configured to distribute a digital certificate;   a mobile wagering game machine configured to receive the digital certificate, wherein the digital certificate includes information identifying wagering game content available to the mobile wagering game machine, and to provide the digital certificate for authentication, and to present wagering games based on wagering game content;   a wagering game server configured to authenticate the mobile wagering game machine based on the digital certificate, to select wagering game content based on the digital certificate's information identifying wagering game content available to the mobile wagering game machine, and to deliver the wagering game content to the mobile wagering game machine.   
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the mobile wagering game machine is further configured to receive a nonce from the wagering game server, and to transmit to the wagering game server a hash encrypted with a private key, wherein the private key is associated with the digital certificate. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the wagering game server is further configured to select the wagering game content based on information in the digital certificate. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the digital certificate includes information indicating services to be accessible the mobile wagering game machine. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the digital certificate conforms to the X.509 standard. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the digital certificate server includes a list of revoked digital certificates. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the wagering game server is further configured to request that the digital certificate server include the digital certificate on a list of revoked digital certificates.