Authorizing mobile gaming

Abstract

A handheld or mobile computer device is used for gaming (gambling) in accordance with rules or laws of a jurisdiction. The device includes software which determines if a player of the game, using the mobile device, is within a geographic area as required. The software uses information provided by a GPS, triangulation using the transmitter-receiver of the device and a plurality of cell towers, or information provided by one or more WiFi connections, to determine a current geographic location. To determine an age of the player, the software uses the device camera to capture an image of an ID of the gaming player, and then interprets the image captured to obtain age information, for example from a bar code on the ID. Funding and game play information is communicated to a server associated with the gaming host. After game play, the player is notified whether he won or lost.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer gaming system, comprising:
 a computer connected to software stored on non-transitory media, the software configured to—
 use at least one of a GPS and transmitter-receiver of the computing device to determine that the computer is within a predetermined geographic boundary when a game is played using the gaming system; 
 capture an image of an ID of the gaming player, so that the software of the computer, or software of a computer to which the computer is connected, may interpret the image captured to obtain age information; 
 allocate funds to be used in play of the game; 
 present a game to a gaming player of the system; 
 notify the player if the game has been won or lost; and 
 notify the player of a disposition of allocated funds based upon whether the game has been won or lost. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , the software further configured to:
 analyze a bar code within the captured image to determine an age associated with the ID.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , the software further configured to:
 present a selection of games from which a player using the gaming system may select.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one computer server connectable to communicate with the computer, to share information pertaining to the game played and the game player.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , the software further configured to:
 enable the selection by the game player of one or more additional potential players who may be invited to participate in play of the game.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , the software further configured to:
 communicate with social media software using an API in order to provide a list of the one or more additional potential players.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , the software further configured to:
 receive information pertaining to values associated with a gaming game that has been played in the real world, or in a virtual world using a computer; and   use the received information in play of a game of the gaming system.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein play of a game of the gaming system includes using the values as an entry in play of a game of the gaming system. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , the software further configured to:
 obscure an area of a display of the computer so that values may not be seen within the area; and   reveal values within the obscured area when a player performs a gesture corresponding to wiping the screen within the obscured area, wherein values within the wiped area become visible, or are made visible.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 10 , the software further configured to:
 use the revealed values in a subsequent game of the gaming system.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , the software further configured to:
 ask a gaming player one or more questions, the answers to which may be correlated by the software, or by software executing on at least one computer server connectable to communicate with the computer, with published information, to validate that the gaming player has reached a predetermined age.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , the software further configured to:
 use values obtained in a first game of the gaming system in a second game of the gaming system, the values operative to reveal a portion of the second game.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , the software further configured to:
 use values obtained in a first game of the gaming system in a second game of the gaming system, the values corresponding to discrete elements displayed within the second game, the discrete elements used to determine a win or loss of the second game.   
     
     
         14 . A computer gaming system, comprising:
 a handholdable device including a transmitter and receiver, a GPS, a display, and a computer processor;   software stored on non-transitory media, the software configured to execute upon the computer processor, and to—
 use at least one of the GPS and transmitter-receiver to determine that the handholdable device is within a predetermined geographic area when a game is played using the device; 
 determine an age of a player of the gaming system by performing at least one of methods (a) and (b), where
 method (a) includes capturing an image of an ID of the gaming player, so that the software of the computer, or software of a computer to which the computer is connected, may interpret the image captured to obtain age information, and 
 method (b) includes asking a gaming player one or more questions, the answers to which are correlated by the software, or by software executing on at least one computer server connectable to communicate with the computer, with published information, to validate that the gaming player has reached a predetermined age; 
 
 allocate funds to be used in play of the game; 
 present a game to a gaming player of the system; and 
 notify the player if the game has been won or lost. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , the software further configured to:
 if determining an age of a player uses method (a), analyze a bar code within the captured image to determine an age associated with the ID.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , the software further configured to:
 communicate with social media software using an API in order to provide a list of the one or more additional potential players from which one or more additional players may be invited to participate in play of the game.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , the software further configured to:
 obscure an area of a display of the computer so that values may not be seen within the area; and   reveal values within the obscured area when a player performs a gesture corresponding to wiping the screen within the obscured area, wherein values within the wiped area become visible, or are made visible.   
     
     
         18 . A computer gaming system, comprising:
 a handholdable cellphone device including a transmitter and receiver, a GPS, a display, and a computer processor;   software stored on non-transitory media, the software configured to execute upon the computer processor, and to—
 use at least one of the GPS and transmitter-receiver to determine that the cellphone is within a predetermined geographic area when a game is played using the cellphone; 
 communicate with at least one server and a player of the gaming system to determine that the player has attained a certain age; 
 enable the player to allocate funds using at least one of a credit card, ACH transfer, cash, and cell phone carrier, to be used in play of the game; 
 present a game to the gaming player of the system for play; 
 notify the player if the game has been won or lost; and 
 notify the player of a disposition of allocated funds based upon whether the game has been won or lost. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , the software further configured to:
 communicate with social media software using an API in order to provide a list of the one or more additional potential players from which one or more additional players may be invited to participate in play of the game.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , the software further configured to:
 obscure an area of a display of the computer so that values may not be seen within the area; and   reveal values within the obscured area when a player performs a gesture corresponding to wiping the screen within the obscured area, wherein values within the wiped area become visible, or are made visible.