System and method for allowing remote wagers (both for real wagers and for fun/points/prizes) by confirming player location using network generated and/or network centric data

Abstract

A system and method allowing wager(s) to be placed over a wireless network using a remote device by authenticating an established user account, and validating the location of the player using network centric data. The player utilizes the remote device, which may be a cell phone or remote computing device, connected securely to a wagering system over a wireless network (e.g., 3G). Depending on the type of game, player location is determined using A-GPS and/or control plane technology utilizing carrier network information. Wagers may be placed using verbal instructions or keypad entries which communicate with a voice recognition system, dedicated software application, live operator and/or web browser based application. Regardless of the wager placement methodology, the remote device is linked to a wager server and location verification is specific to the subject remote device connected thereto. Other methods of verifying location are utilized as safeguards against spoofing and remote operation.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a central wagering system including at least a processor, data storage device and means for communicating with remote wireless devices;   said central wagering system configured to permit placement of wagers remotely responsive to validation that a subject remote wireless device is within a pre-established wagering location and prohibit placement of wagers remotely responsive to lack of validation that a subject remote device is within a pre-established wagering location; and   means for obtaining remote device location data derived from communications between said remote devices and remote device carrier networks during wireless connections between said remote devices and said wagering system, said remote device location data used to validate a location of said remote devices.   
     
     
         2 . A system comprising:
 a central wagering system including at least a processor, data storage device and means for communicating with remote wireless devices;   said central wagering system configured to permit placement of wagers remotely responsive to confirmation that a subject remote wireless device is within a pre-established wagering location subject to a pre-established distance accuracy threshold and prohibit placement of wagers remotely responsive to lack of validation that a subject remote wireless device is within a pre-established wagering location subject to a pre-established distance accuracy threshold; and   wherein said central wagering system is configured to obtain from third party sources remote wireless device location data derived from communications between said remote wireless devices and carrier networks during wireless connections between said remote devices and said central wagering system, said remote device location data used to validate a location of said remote wireless devices.   
     
     
         3 . A method comprising:
 configuring a central wagering system, including at least a processor, data storage device and means for communicating with remote wireless devices, to:
 permit placement of wagers via said remote wireless device based on confirmation that said remote wireless device is within a pre-established wagering location; 
 prohibit placement of wagers remotely responsive to lack of validation that a subject remote device is within a pre-established wagering location; and 
 obtain remote device location data based on communications between said remote devices and carrier networks during wireless connections between said remote devices and said wagering system, said remote device location data used to validate a location of said remote devices. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising configuring said central wagering system to validate said remote wireless device is registered to access said central wagering system. 
     
     
         5 . A method comprising:
 configuring a central wagering system, including at least a processor, data storage device and means for communicating with remote wireless devices, to:
 obtain from third party sources remote device location data derived from communications between said remote devices and carrier networks during wireless connections between said remote devices and said central wagering system; and 
 permit placement of wagers remotely responsive to confirmation that a subject remote wireless device is within a pre-established wagering location subject to a pre-established distance accuracy threshold and prohibit placement of wagers remotely responsive to lack of validation that a subject remote device is within a pre-established wagering location subject to a pre-established distance accuracy threshold. 
   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising configuring said central wagering system to validate said remote wireless devices are registered to access said central wagering system. 
     
     
         7 . A system comprising:
 a central wagering system including at least a processor, data storage device and means for communicating with remote wireless devices;   said central wagering system configured to permit placement of wagers remotely responsive to validation that a subject remote wireless device is within a pre-established wagering location and prohibit placement of wagers remotely responsive to lack of validation that a subject remote device is within a pre-established wagering location; and   said remote wireless devices configured with application software to:
 identify certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation of the remote wireless devices; and 
 disable certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation of the remote wireless devices. 
   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein said remote wireless devices are further configured to:
 communicate any disablement of functionality to said central wagering system. 
 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7  wherein said certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation comprises one or more of the following:
 radio signal communication features; 
 software applications facilitating remote manipulation; 
 operating system manipulation; and 
 peripheral device attachments on said remote wireless device. 
 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7  wherein said application software causes the remote wireless device to notify users to disable certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation of the remote wireless devices. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7  wherein said application software causes the automatic disablement of certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation of the remote wireless devices. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 7  wherein said central wagering system is configured to determine whether the application software is supported. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 7  wherein said central wagering system is configured to determine whether the application software is current. 
     
     
         14 . A method comprising:
 configuring a central wagering system, including at least a processor, data storage device and means for communicating with remote wireless devices, to:
 validate a remote wireless device as one registered to access said central wagering system; 
 permit placement of wagers via said remote wireless device based on confirmation that said remote wireless device is within a pre-established wagering location; 
 prohibit placement of wagers remotely responsive to lack of validation that a subject remote device is within a pre-established wagering location; 
 obtain remote device location data; and 
 provide application software useable by said remote wireless devices allowing said remote wireless devices to:
 identify certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation of the remote wireless devices; and 
 disable certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation of the remote wireless devices. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said application software useable by said remote wireless devices further allows said remote wireless devices to:
 communicate any disablement of functionality to said central wagering system. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation comprises one or more of the following:
 radio signal communication features; 
 software applications facilitating remote manipulation; 
 operating system manipulation; and 
 peripheral device attachments on said remote wireless device. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising utilizing said application software to cause said remote wireless devices to notify users to disable certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation of the remote wireless device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising automatically disabling certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising configuring said central wagering system to determine whether the application software is supported. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising configuring said central wagering system to determine whether the application software is current. 
     
     
         21 . A method comprising:
 configuring a central wagering system, including at least a processor, data storage device and means for communicating with remote wireless devices, to:
 obtain from third party sources remote device location data derived from communications between said remote devices and carrier networks during wireless connections between said remote devices and said central wagering system; and 
 permit placement of wagers remotely responsive to confirmation that a subject remote wireless device is within a pre-established wagering location within a pre-established distance accuracy threshold and prohibit placement of wagers remotely responsive to lack of validation that a subject remote device is within a pre-established wagering location within a pre-established distance accuracy threshold; and 
   providing application software useable by said remote wireless devices allowing said remote wireless devices to:
 identify certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation of the remote wireless devices; and 
 disable certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation of the remote wireless devices. 
   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said application software useable by said remote wireless devices further allows said remote wireless devices to:
 communicate said functionality disablement to said central wagering system. 
 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation comprises one or more of the following:
 radio signal communication features; 
 software applications facilitating remote manipulation; 
 operating system manipulation; and 
 peripheral device attachments on said remote wireless device. 
 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising providing application software to said remote wireless devices allowing said remote wireless devices to notify users to disable certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation of the remote wireless device. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising providing application software to said remote wireless devices allowing said remote wireless devices to facilitate the automatic disablement of certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation of the remote wireless devices. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising configuring said central wagering system to determine whether the application software is supported. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising configuring said central wagering system to determine whether the application software is current. 
     
     
         28 . A system comprising:
 a central wagering system including at least a processor, data storage device and means for communicating with remote wireless devices;   said central wagering system configured to permit placement of wagers remotely responsive to validation that a subject remote wireless device is within a pre-established wagering location and prohibit placement of wagers remotely responsive to lack of validation that a subject remote device is within a pre-established wagering location;   means for obtaining remote device location data derived from communications between said remote devices and remote device carrier networks during wireless connections between said remote devices and said wagering system, said remote device location data used to validate a location of said remote devices; and   said remote wireless devices configured to:
 identify certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation of the remote wireless devices; and 
 disable certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation of the remote wireless devices. 
   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28  wherein said remote wireless devices are further configured to communicate said functionality disablement to said central wagering system. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28  wherein said certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation comprises one or more of the following:
 radio signal communication features; 
 software applications facilitating remote manipulation; 
 operating system manipulation; and 
 peripheral device attachments on said remote wireless device. 
 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28  wherein said central wagering system is configured to determine whether application software running on said remote wireless devices is supported. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 28  wherein said central wagering system is configured to determine whether application software running on said remote wireless devices is current. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 28  wherein application software running on said remote wireless devices is configured to automatically disable certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation of the remote wireless devices. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 28  wherein application software running on said remote wireless devices is configured to notify users to disable certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation of the remote wireless devices. 
     
     
         35 . A system comprising:
 a central wagering system including at least a processor, data storage device and means for communicating with remote wireless devices;   said central wagering system configured to permit placement of wagers remotely responsive to validation that a subject remote wireless device is within a pre-established wagering location and prohibit placement of wagers remotely responsive to lack of validation that a subject remote device is within a pre-established wagering location; and   said remote wireless devices maintaining application software to:
 identify certain functionality related to possible remote manipulation of the remote wireless devices; 
 enable placement of wagers in response to a lack of possible remote manipulations of the remote wireless devices; and 
 disable placement of wagers in response to possible remote manipulation of the remote wireless devices. 
   
     
     
         36 . A system comprising:
 a central wagering system including at least a processor, data storage device and means for communicating with remote wireless devices;   said central wagering system configured to permit placement of wagers remotely responsive to validation that a subject remote wireless device is within a pre-established wagering location and prohibit placement of wagers remotely responsive to lack of validation that a subject remote device is within a pre-established wagering location; and   said remote wireless devices maintaining application software to:
 identify mechanical operations on said remote wireless device; 
 enable placement of wagers in response to a determination that mechanical operations are present on said remote wireless devices; and 
 disable placement of wagers in response to a determination that mechanical operations are not present on said remote wireless devices.