Systems and methods for maintaining anonymity in a gaming or other environment

Abstract

The present application provides methods and systems for maintaining anonymity in a gaming environment that include or perform the step or steps of receiving a user preference from a first user for maintaining an identity of the first user anonymous during at least one game; tracking game play involving the first user and at least one other user; receiving a request from the at least one other user to initiate at least one game with the first user; retrieving game history data specific to the first user and the at least one other user; retrieving at least one rule for controlling interactions between anonymous users and the at least one other user in the gaming environment; and disposing the request to initiate the at least one game with the first user based at least on the game history data and the at least one rule for controlling interactions between anonymous users and the at least one other user. The game may be a casino-type game, such as poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, and baccarat.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method comprising:
 tracking, by at least one processor, game play involving a first user and at least one other user;   receiving, by the at least one processor, a request from the at least one other user to initiate at least one game with the first user;   retrieving, by the at least one processor, game history data specific to the first user and the at least one other user;   retrieving, by the at least one processor, at least one rule for controlling interactions between anonymous users and the at least one other user in a gaming environment, in which the anonymous users comprises users who are anonymous to the at least one other user, the anonymous users comprising the first user at a time the request from the at least one other user is received; and   disposing, by the at least one processor, the request to initiate the at least one game with the first user based at least on the game history data and the at least one rule for controlling interactions between anonymous users and the at least one other user,   in which game rules govern play of the game,   in which the game comprises an end time and a non-zero duration of the game, and   in which at least one winner wins the game.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one game comprises at least one of poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat, wheel of fortune, keno, horse racing, dog racing, auto racing, and a lottery game. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 ,
 further comprising assigning at least one anonymous identifier to the first user,   wherein disposing the request to initiate the at least one game comprises highlighting the at least one anonymous identifier assigned to the first user in the at least one game, and   wherein disposing the request to initiate the at least one game with the first user based at least on the game history data comprises disposing the request to initiate the at least one game with the first user based on win/loss statistics for at least one game in which the first user and the at least one other user competed.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 initiating game play between at least the first user and the at least one other user; and   displaying at least one interface screen for at least the first user and the at least one other user to play the at least one game.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 ,
 further comprising assigning a plurality of anonymous identifiers to the first user,   wherein disposing the request to initiate the at least one game comprises highlighting at least one of the plurality of anonymous identifiers assigned to the first user in the at least one game.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the plurality of anonymous identifiers are assigned periodically,   the first user previously played a first game under a first anonymous identifier,   the at least one other user previously played the first game under a second anonymous identifier,   the first user plays a second game under a third anonymous identifier different from the first anonymous identifier, and   the at least one other user plays the second game under a fourth anonymous identifier different from the second anonymous identifier.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the plurality of anonymous identifiers are each assigned at a trigger event,   the first user previously played a first game under a first anonymous identifier,   the at least one other user previously played the first game under a second anonymous identifier,   the first user plays a second game under a third anonymous identifier different from the first anonymous identifier, and   the at least one other user plays the second game under a fourth anonymous identifier different from the second anonymous identifier.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the trigger event comprises initiating game play with the first user. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein disposing the request to initiate the at least one game comprises at least one of blocking, hiding, and highlighting indicia of the first user in the at least one game. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least one processor, direct the at least one processor to:
 track game play involving a first user and at least one other user; 
 receive a request from the at least one other user to initiate at least one game with the first user; 
 retrieve game history data specific to the first user and the at least one other user; 
 retrieve at least one rule for controlling interactions between anonymous users and the at least one other user in a gaming environment, in which the anonymous users comprises users who are anonymous to the at least one other user, the anonymous users comprising the first user at a time the request from the at least one other user is received; and 
 dispose the request to initiate the at least one game with the first user based at least on the game history data and the at least one rule for controlling interactions between anonymous users and the at least one other user, 
 in which game rules govern play of the game, 
 in which the game comprises an end time and a non-zero duration of the game, and 
 in which at least one winner wins the game. 
   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one game comprises at least one of poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, and baccarat. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , in which the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further direct the at least one processor to:
 assign at least one anonymous identifier to the first user,   wherein disposing the request to initiate the at least one game comprises highlighting the at least one anonymous identifier assigned to the first user in the at least one game.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , in which the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further direct the at least one processor to:
 initiate game play between at least the first user and the at least one other user; and   display at least one interface screen for at least the first user and the at least one other user to play the at least one game.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , in which the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further direct the at least one processor to:
 assign a plurality of anonymous identifiers to the first user,   wherein disposing the request to initiate the at least one game comprises highlighting at least one of the plurality anonymous identifiers assigned to the first user in the at least one game, and   wherein disposing the request to initiate the at least one game with the first user based at least on the game history data comprises disposing the request to initiate the at least one game with the first user based on win/loss statistics for at least one game in which the first user and the at least one other user competed.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the plurality of anonymous identifiers are assigned periodically,   the first user previously played a first game under a first anonymous identifier,   the at least one other user previously played the first game under a second anonymous identifier,   the first user plays a second game under a third anonymous identifier different from the first anonymous identifier, and   the at least one other user plays the second game under a fourth anonymous identifier different from the second anonymous identifier.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the plurality of anonymous identifiers are each assigned at a trigger event, the trigger event comprising initiation of game play with the first user,   the first user previously played a first game under a first anonymous identifier,   the at least one other user previously played the first game under a second anonymous identifier,   the first user plays a second game under a third anonymous identifier different from the first anonymous identifier, and   the at least one other user plays the second game under a fourth anonymous identifier different from the second anonymous identifier.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein disposing the request to initiate the at least one game comprises at least one of blocking, hiding, and highlighting indicia of the first user in the at least one game. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , in which the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further direct the at least one processor to:
 prior to disposing the request to initiate the at least one game with the first user, receive a user preference for maintaining an identity of the first user anonymous during the at least one game.