Responsible Gaming Environment On An Electronic Gaming System

Abstract

An electronic gaming machine (EGM) or game computer for on-line gaming receives a player's unique ID. The host system then detects a stored status level of the player and communicates the status level to the game computer. The status level may be determined by a survey answered by the player identifying self-impose loss limits. The game computer then presents a plurality of games available to the player based on the status level of the player, there being different sets of games presented to the player depending on the player's status level. Games associated with a higher status level may be more complex and/or have higher possible wagering limits. The player selects and plays one of the games. Over time, the host system accumulates information about the player's performance and imposes the loss limits and/or gaming time limits.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for operating a gaming system requiring wagering on an outcome of games comprising:
 receiving a player's player identification via a game computer communicating with a host system;   detecting a status level of the player, there being a plurality of possible status levels, the status levels being related to different financial risks incurred by gaming;   presenting a plurality of games available to the player on the game computer based on the particular status level of the player, there being different sets of games presented to the player depending on the player's status level;   receiving a selection signal from the player selecting one of the available games;   initiating a game selected by the player;   receiving a wager by the player for playing the selected game;   granting the player an award for winning outcomes of the selected game; and   accumulating information about the player by the host system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the status level of the player relates, at least in part, to a win/loss record of the player over time. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the status level of the player relates, at least in part, to the player's personal finances. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the status level of a player relates, at least in part, to a limit of losses over a time period. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising presenting a survey to the player on the game computer requesting information about the player, wherein the status level of the player relates, at least in part, to results of the survey. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the survey requests the player to identify at least one loss limit over a period of time, and wherein the status level of the player relates to the loss limit. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the host system changing the player's status level as the player approaches the loss limit. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the status level of the player is directly selected based on the player's identification of at least one loss limit over a period of time, wherein the status level is selected to likely enable the player to play games for a period of time selected by the player without exceeding the loss limit. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining by the host system whether to change the player's status level based on the information accumulated. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of detecting the status level of the player comprises detecting a signal by the game computer, transmitted by the host system, identifying the status level of the player. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of detecting the status level of the player comprises detecting a signal by the game computer, transmitted by the host system, identifying the games available to the player consistent with the player's status level. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of presenting a plurality of games available to the player on the game computer comprises presenting icons of the games to allow the player to select one of the games by selecting a desired icon. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining by the host system whether to change the player's status level based on the player's win/loss record. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the games associated with different status level differ by at least wager denominations, wherein a player having a higher status level is presented with available games that have higher wager denominations than available games presented to players with a lower status level. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of presenting a plurality of games available to the player on the game computer based on the status level of the player comprises showing the player the status level of each available game to allow the player to make an informed decision. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the game computer communicates with the host system via the internet. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the step of receiving a player's player identification comprises at least one of receiving a password and a biometric input. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of receiving a player's player identification by the game computer comprises receiving the player identification by an on-line gaming site. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of receiving a player's player identification by the game computer comprises receiving the player identification by an on-line portal web site that is a portal for one or more gaming sites. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the game computer is an electronic gaming machine. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the game computer is one of a personal computer (PC), laptop computer, tablet computer, or mobile phone. 
     
     
         22 . A gaming system comprising:
 a game computer communicating with a host system, the game computer being programmed to transmit a player's player identification to the host system;   the host system being programmed to cross-reference the player identification to a status level of the player, there being a plurality of possible status levels, the status levels being related to different financial risks incurred by gaming;   the host system being programmed to communicate the status level to the game computer;   the game computer being programmed to, in response to detecting the status level, present a plurality of games available to the player on the game computer based on the status level of the player, there being different sets of games presented to the player depending on the player's status level;   the game computer being programmed to receive a selection signal from the player selecting one of the available games;   the game computer being programmed to initiate a game selected by the player;   the game computer being programmed to detect a wager by the player for playing the selected game;   the game computer or host system being programmed to grant the player an award for winning outcomes of the selected game; and   the host system being programmed to accumulate information about the player.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the status level of a player relates, at least in part, to a win/loss record of the player over time. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the status level of a player relates, at least in part, to the player's personal finances. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the status level of a player relates to a limit of losses over a time period. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the game computer or host system is programmed to present a survey to the player on the game computer requesting information about the player, wherein the status level of the player relates, at least in part, to results of the survey. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the survey requests the player to identify at least one loss limit over a period of time, and wherein the status level of the player relates to the loss limit. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the host system is further programmed to change the player's status level as the player approaches the loss limit. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the status level of the player is directly selected based on the player's identification of at least one loss limit over a period of time, wherein the status level is selected to likely enable the player to play games for a period of time selected by the player without exceeding the loss limit. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the game computer being programmed to, in response to detecting the status level, present a plurality of games available to the player comprises the game computer being programmed to present icons of the games to allow the player to select one of the games by selecting a desired icon. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the host system being programmed to determine whether to change the player's status level based on the information accumulated comprises the host system being programmed to determine whether to change the player's status level by the player's win/loss record accumulated by the host system. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the games associated with different status level differ by at least wager denominations, wherein a player having a higher status level is presented with available games that have higher wager denominations than available games presented to players with a lower status level. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the game computer being programmed to, in response to detecting the status level, present a plurality of games available to the player comprises the game computer being programmed to show the player the status level of each available game to allow the player to make an informed decision. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 22  where the game computer is a console in a casino. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the game computer communicates with the host system via the internet for on-line gaming. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the game computer is one of a personal computer (PC), laptop computer, tablet computer, or mobile phone.