System and Method for Assessing and Providing Location-Based Benefits

Abstract

A gaming system includes a community server, processor, communications controller, and physical memory device bearing instructions for execution by the processor. The system processes gaming session information relating to a player's wagering-game machine gaming session and determines whether the gaming session information satisfies a condition precedent to an award of player profile content. The processor stores the player profile content in association with the player identified in the gaming session information and the information sent to the wagering-game server by the communications controller includes information relating to a location-based incentive available to the player.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gaming system comprising:
 a community server comprising a communications controller configured to send information to a wagering-game server operatively associated with at least one wagering-game machine including at least one input device and at least one display device and to receive information from the wagering-game server operatively associated with a wagering-game machine;   a physical memory device operatively associated with the community server, said physical memory device bearing instructions which, when executed by at least one processor operatively associated with the community server and the physical memory device, cause the community server to retrieve from said wagering-game server or said wagering-game machine or to receive from said wagering-game server or said wagering-game machine gaming session information relating to a player's gaming session on said wagering-game machine;   said at least one processor being configured, upon execution of instructions borne by said physical memory device, to operate to:
 determine whether said gaming session information satisfies a condition precedent to an award of player profile content comprising one or more of a currency in a secondary economy of the community server, game content available to the player on the community server, non-game content available to the player on the community server, game content available to the player on said wagering-game machine, non-game content available to the player on said wagering-game machine, and game content available to the player from said wagering-game server; and 
 store said player profile content on said physical memory device in association with the player identified in the gaming session information, 
   wherein the information sent to said wagering-game server by said communications controller comprises information relating to a location-based incentive available to the player.   
     
     
         2 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein said currency in said secondary economy of the community server comprises redeemable points redeemable only through the community server. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein said non-game content available to the player on the community server comprises an enhancement to a community server graphical user interface, an audio file, access to a restricted content on the community server, or information available to a player regarding one or more wagering games. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein said game content available to the player on the community server comprises a non-wagering representation of wagering game content. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein said non-game content available to the player on said wagering-game machine comprises an enhancement to a wagering-game machine graphical user interface, graphical content for the wagering game, or an audio file. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein said game content available to the player from said wagering-game server comprises wagering game content from said wagering-game machine or from another wagering game. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one processor is further configured, upon execution of instructions borne by said physical memory device, to push said player profile content to said wagering-game machine responsive to a player log in to the community server from the wagering-game machine or responsive to a player request, from the wagering-game machine, to utilize said player profile content. 
     
     
         8 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a player client device communicatively coupled to the community server,   wherein the communications controller of the community server is further configured to send information to the player client and to receive information from the player client device,   wherein the information sent to said player client device by said communications controller comprises information relating to a location-based incentive available to the player.   
     
     
         9 . The gaming system of  claim 8 , wherein said at least one processor is further configured, upon execution of instructions borne by said physical memory device, to enhance the location-based incentive available to the player for a subsequent gaming session responsive to said gaming session information or said player profile content indicative of repeat play at the location to which said location-based incentive was directed. 
     
     
         10 . The gaming system of  claim 8 , wherein said enhancement to the location-based incentive available to the player for a subsequent gaming session responsive to said gaming session information or said player profile content occurs only when said gaming session information or said player profile content equals or exceeds a predetermined requirement. 
     
     
         11 . The gaming system of  claim 10 , wherein said incentive comprises an accelerator that accelerates an award of points by the community server above a base level of points awarded by the community server for the gaming session information. 
     
     
         12 . The gaming system of  claim 8 , wherein incentives earned by a player are removed from the player profile content available to the player should the player fail to fulfill preconditions for retaining the incentives. 
     
     
         13 . The gaming system of  claim 7 , wherein said player profile content pushed to said wagering-game machine comprises at least one of an enhancement to a wagering-game machine graphical user interface, graphical content for use in association with the wagering game, an audio file, or previously unlocked wagering game content from said wagering-game machine, or wagering game content from another wagering game. 
     
     
         14 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one processor is further configured, upon execution of instructions borne by said physical memory device, to determine whether said gaming session information satisfies a condition precedent to extending a period of time for which an open incentive may be satisfied. 
     
     
         15 . A method of implementing a wagering incentive across a plurality of distinct networks, the first network being a non-wagering network operated by or for a first entity and the second network being a wagering network operatively associated with a wagering-game machine operated by or for a second entity distinct from the first entity, the method comprising:
 offering, via a communications controller of a community server in said first network, an incentive to a participant of said first network to play a wagering game on said wagering-game machine of said second network;   receiving information from the second network comprising wagering-game machine gaming session information relating to a player's gaming session on said wagering-game machine;   determining, using a processor operatively associated with said first network, whether said gaming session information satisfies a condition precedent to an award of player profile content comprising one or more of a currency in a secondary economy of the first network, game content available to the player on the first network, non-game content available to the player on the first network, game content available to the player on said wagering-game machine, non-game content available to the player on said wagering-game machine, and game content available to the player from said wagering-game server; and   storing said player profile content on a physical memory device operatively associated with the first network in association with the player identified by the gaming session information.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said currency in said secondary economy of the first network comprises redeemable points redeemable only through said first network. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said non-game content available to the player on said first network comprises an enhancement to a graphical user interface for said first network, an audio file, access to a restricted content on said first network, or information available to a player regarding one or more wagering games in said second network. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said game content available to the player on said first network comprises a non-wagering representation of wagering game content. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said non-game content available to the player on said wagering-game machine comprises an enhancement to a wagering-game machine graphical user interface, graphical content for the wagering game, or an audio file. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said game content available to the player from said wagering-game server comprises wagering game content from said wagering-game machine or from another wagering game. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising the act of pushing, using said processor, said player profile content to said wagering-game machine responsive to a player log in to the first network from the wagering-game machine or responsive to a player request, from the wagering-game machine, to utilize said player profile content. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 sending information from a communications controller of the first network to a player client device communicatively coupled to the first network, said information relating to a location-based incentive available to the player.   
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 using the processor of the first network, enhancing the location-based incentive available to the player for a subsequent gaming session responsive to said gaming session information or said player profile content indicative of repeat play at the location to which said location-based incentive was directed.   
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein said enhancement to the location-based incentive available to the player for a subsequent gaming session responsive to said gaming session information or said player profile content occurs only when said gaming session information or said player profile content equals or exceeds a predetermined requirement. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein said incentive comprises an accelerator that accelerates an award of points by the first network above a base level of points awarded by the first network for the gaming session information. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein incentives earned by a player are removed from the player profile content available to the player should the player fail to fulfill preconditions for retaining the incentives. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein said player profile content pushed to said wagering-game machine comprises at least one of an enhancement to a wagering-game machine graphical user interface, graphical content for use in association with the wagering game, an audio file, or previously unlocked wagering game content from said wagering-game machine, or wagering game content from another wagering game. 
     
     
         28 . A method of implementing a wagering incentive across a plurality of distinct networks, the first network being a non-wagering network operated by or for a first entity and the second network being a wagering network operatively associated with a wagering-game machine operated by or for a second entity distinct from the first entity, the method comprising:
 offering, via a communications controller of a community server in said first network, an incentive to a participant of said first network to play a wagering game on said wagering-game machine of said second network;   receiving information from the second network comprising wagering-game machine gaming session information relating to a player's gaming session on said wagering-game machine;   determining, using a processor operatively associated with said first network, a number of points to be awarded in association with the gaming session information;   adding, using the processor operatively associated with said first network, said number of points to a number of points stored in a player profile to yield a total number of points stored in the player profile;   comparing, using the processor operatively associated with said first network, the total number of points stored in the player profile to a total number of points stored in other player profiles for said wagering-game machine or comparing the total number of points stored in the player profile to a ranking schedule for said wagering-game machine;   determining, using the processor operatively associated with said first network, if the total number of points stored in the player profile corresponds to a higher rank in said ranking schedule for said wagering-game machine;   increasing, using the processor operatively associated with said first network, an incentive available in association with said player profile on said first network or on for said wagering-game machine of said second network if the total number of points stored in the player profile corresponds is determined to correspond to a higher rank in said ranking schedule for said wagering-game machine.   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein a plurality of predefined ranks are set forth in said ranking schedule, and wherein each of said predefined ranks corresponds to a predetermined point accelerator