Systems, apparatus and methods for utilizing tito vouchers to track and reward uncarded casino patrons

Abstract

To provide systems, apparatuses, and methods for identifying and tracking uncarded players using ticket vouchers, and rewarding such patrons on the basis of the tracking.SOLUTION: In a casino management system, an electronic gaming machine or slot machine EGM 26 initiates communication of a reward to a player with a predetermined threshold of a game play, and generates a voucher each time a player 1 qualifies for a reward. An indicia of the reward is printed with EGM on the voucher, and a unique voucher number that enables tracking of the player and the game play is assigned to the voucher. The reward is provided via a QR code (R) on the voucher, which directs the player to a website or mobile application.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims the benefit of commonly owned U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 562,785, filed March 8, 2024, which is incorporated herein and made a part hereof by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of casino gameplay, and more particularly to systems, devices and methods for tracking cardless casino patrons and rewarding such patrons based on the tracking. [Background technology]

[0003] In the casino gaming industry, most casino operations have adopted some method of gaming transactions that result in cashless gaming. One such method is called Ticket In-Ticket Out (TIT), also known as vouchers. With TITO, a voucher bearing a barcode or other indicia indicating the amount won during a gameplay session is issued to the player at the gaming machine at the end of play. The voucher can be redeemed for cash or inserted into another gaming machine to continue gameplay.

[0004] Another form of cashless gaming is the use of a player card, which is issued to players upon registration. This card is inserted into gaming machines during play and functions much like a TITO voucher, providing a record of winnings. The player card allows the casino to track a player's gameplay across multiple sessions. This includes games played on multiple machines during a single visit or across multiple visits to the casino. This also allows the casino to offer rewards to players who reach certain gameplay thresholds. When registering for a player card, players are required to provide personal identifying information, which the casino uses to offer targeted rewards under its rewards program. These benefits are not available if the player does not have the card.

[0005] Casinos are beginning to enable the use of virtual player cards, for example, using mobile phone applications that allow a smartphone to act as a player card.

[0006] Most casino operations employ multiple cashless transaction methods for gaming transactions, often including TITO. There are approximately 1.1 million slot machines in operation worldwide, with the vast majority (approximately 80%) employing some form of cashless gaming using the TITO voucher format.

[0007] Casino operators make great efforts to get to know their customers (hereafter referred to as "players"). Doing so allows them to more specifically customize marketing of rewards (products and services) to each player. Offering such rewards is believed to increase player patronage and loyalty. As such, casinos tempt customers with incentives (e.g., rewards for gameplay, membership in a players' club with associated benefits) to "sign up" or register for a players' card. However, despite the incentives, many customers do not sign up for a players' card or join a casino's players' club. While the reasons vary by player and casino, there are some common themes. For example, some players simply want to remain (mostly) anonymous, while others may feel that the incentive is not sufficient to justify handing over personal information. In other cases, players may simply find the sign-up process cumbersome. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The challenge for casino operators is to find new and creative ways to reach the group of patrons who remain card-less.

[0009] It would be advantageous to encourage non-card-carrying casino patrons to register for a player card, join a player club, or otherwise provide personally identifiable information to the casino. It would also be advantageous to be able to track the game play of non-card-carrying players across multiple gaming sessions using the same TITO voucher in order to provide rewards and encourage further game play.

[0010] The systems, devices, and methods of the present invention provide these and other advantages. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The present invention relates to systems, devices, and methods for tracking non-card-carrying casino patrons, rewarding such patrons based on the tracking, and encouraging such patrons to register for casino cards and / or join casino player clubs.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, a player identification and tracking system is provided that utilizes ticket vouchers to identify, track, and reward non-card players (customers). Such a system may comprise at least one electronic gaming machine equipped with a TITO printer, a casino management system in communication with the electronic gaming machine, and a promotion system in communication with the casino management system. The electronic gaming machine may communicate gameplay information for each player's gameplay session to at least one of the casino management system and the promotion system. Rewards to the player are generated by one of the casino management system and the promotion system at predetermined gameplay thresholds. Reward indicia are embodied on vouchers printed by the electronic gaming machine, and the vouchers are assigned unique voucher numbers.

[0013] Vouchers are generated every time a player becomes eligible to receive a reward.

[0014] The unique voucher number consists of the session fingerprint of the current or just finished gameplay session.

[0015] The electronic gaming machine further includes one or more slot machine interface boards (SMIBs) that enable communication with at least one of a casino management system and a promotion system.

[0016] The unique voucher number may be communicated to at least one of a casino management system and a promotion system. For example, the unique voucher number may be provided to at least one of a casino management system and a promotion system when the player performs at least one of the following actions: adding game play credits to the electronic gaming machine, cashing out game play credits and ending the game play session, playing down game play credits to zero on the electronic gaming machine and ending the game play session, or starting another game play session via the electronic gaming machine or another electronic gaming machine.

[0017] The gameplay information may include gameplay session attributes, which may be associated with the unique voucher number and communicated to at least one of a casino management system and a promotion system. The gameplay session attributes may include one or more of an electronic gaming machine identifier, an electronic gaming machine serial number, an internal session identifier, a timestamp, a session start and end time, a session duration, a location, a winning amount, a losing amount, a game identifier, a number of games or sessions played, a wager amount, and a playing time per game or session.

[0018] The session fingerprint may include at least some of the gameplay session attributes.

[0019] The printed voucher may include a QR code. The session fingerprint and URL may be encoded in the QR code. The session fingerprint serves as a proxy for the player and the player's personal identification information and is used by at least one of the casino management system and promotion system to identify the player.

[0020] At least one of the reward indicia or a QR code associated with the reward may be scanned and stored in the player's digital wallet for later use.

[0021] As an example, scanning a QR code with a player's mobile electronic device renders a website identified by a URL, which is adapted to extract session information from the session fingerprint. Based on this session information, the website generates a prize for the player to redeem. As an example, scanning a QR code with a player's mobile electronic device renders a website identified by a URL, which is adapted to extract session information from the session fingerprint. Based on the session information, the website generates a prize for the player to redeem.

[0022] The website host of the website may comprise either a casino management system or a promotions system. The website host may generate a second fingerprint and unique identifier based on the extracted session data and store it in the form of a cookie. The cookie may be linked to the player's mobile electronic device. The cookie acts as a proxy for the player's personally identifiable information, allowing further gameplay sessions to be linked and associated with the cookie.

[0023] The reward may be redeemed when one of the players provides personally identifiable information to at least one of the casino management system and the promotion system or when the player registers for a casino player card.

[0024] In yet another embodiment, scanning the QR code with the player's mobile electronic device renders and downloads a mobile app identified by the URL to the player's mobile electronic device, where the downloaded mobile app generates a unique identifier based on the extracted session data to serve as a proxy for the player's personally identifiable information.

[0025] This allows further gameplay sessions to be linked and associated with the downloaded mobile app. After the mobile app is downloaded, the additional session information may be automatically communicated to either the casino management system or the promotions system. Additional rewards may be provided to the player based on the additional session information.

[0026] Rewards and additional reward indicia may be automatically transmitted to and stored in the player's digital wallet, and may be redeemed by the player providing personally identifiable information to at least one of the casino management system and promotions system and by the player registering for a casino player card.

[0027] Rewards can be obtained by scanning the QR code or related reward display at redemption locations.

[0028] Gameplay information may be accumulated over multiple gameplay sessions and / or multiple electronic gaming machines through the use of vouchers.

[0029] The voucher may be printed periodically during a game play session or at least once at the end of a game play session based on a predetermined threshold, which may be based on one or more of play time, amount won, amount lost, game play session played, total amount wagered, type or number of games played, etc.

[0030] Rewards may be redeemed by presenting the voucher at a redemption location, which may consist of one or more of the following: casino gaming machines, restaurants, hotels, automated teller machines, online stores, car rental companies, retail stores, gift shops, and websites.

[0031] Rewards may include one or more of the following: a physical gift from an online or brick-and-mortar store; gameplay credits redeemable at casino gaming machines; discount coupons for meals, hotel stays, travel, events, experiences, etc.

[0032] At least one of the casino management system and the promotion system collects gameplay information from multiple gameplay sessions of a player over time. The collected gameplay information is analyzed to at least one of provide targeted rewards to the player, provide incentives to the player for further gameplay, and encourage the player to register for a casino player card. For example, multiple gameplay sessions and session information from the player can be analyzed.

[0033] The present invention also includes a method for identifying, tracking, and rewarding cardless players using ticket vouchers. In one embodiment, the method includes providing at least one electronic gaming machine with a TITO printer to enable communication between the electronic gaming machine, a casino management system, and a promotion system. Game play information for each game play session of a player may be communicated to at least one of the casino management system and the promotion system. At least one of the casino management system and the promotion system may initiate delivery of a reward to the player at a predetermined threshold of game play. Reward indicia may be printed on vouchers printed by the electronic gaming machine. The vouchers may be assigned a unique voucher number.

[0034] These methods may also include elements and features of the system embodiments described above. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0035] The present invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like elements and in which: [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an example embodiment of a system for implementing the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a TITO voucher for use in accordance with the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a reward coupon for use in accordance with the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a TITO voucher for use in accordance with the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 shows a flow diagram of a further embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 illustrates a further exemplary embodiment of a reward coupon for use in accordance with the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 shows a flow diagram of a further embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 shows a flow diagram of a further embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0036] The following detailed description provides exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the present invention. Rather, the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an effective description for implementing embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that various changes can be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.

[0037] The present invention relates to a system, apparatus, and method for tracking casino customers who do not own a casino card and rewarding such customers based on that tracking to motivate such customers to register for a casino card or join a casino player club.

[0038] The following is the nomenclature used throughout the description of the invention and the drawings: TITO: Abbreviation for Ticket In-Ticket Out. Also known as voucher, TITO ticket, TITO voucher, or voucher creation. Ucher: A ticket or other piece of paper with a unique identifier printed on it that is used as an alternative to cash. Gameplay: The act or activity of playing casino games, such as table games. Customer: (also referred to here as player or user) A customer of a casino who typically participates in game play. Cardholder: (Also known as cardholder / customer.) A customer who can usually be identified by a physical or virtual card. Non-Cardholder: (also known as a non-card-carrying player / customer) An unidentifiable player, where the casino has no way or means to identify the player. Anonymous player. SAS: Slot Account System, a proprietary serial communications protocol for gaming machines and slot machines. Serial: A method of transmitting data in bytes. Or, colloquially, can refer to RS232, a specific type of serial communications protocol for transmitting data using -15V to +15V. Cashless: The process of conducting gaming transactions using vouchers or cards rather than using currency or "cash." TITO Printer: A printer to print TITO vouchers. PID: Personally Identifiable Information (such as name, address, phone number, or Social Security number). EGM: Electronic gaming machine or slot machine. Redemption: The process of exchanging a voucher or TITO ticket for currency. Banknote Acceptor: A device that accepts banknotes and TITO vouchers in exchange. Players Club: A colloquial term for the organization or group to which a player / customer belongs when obtaining a card or providing personal demographic information about the casino. Session: The time a player or customer spends on a gaming machine while purchasing or holding credits on the gaming machine. Credits or Gameplay Credits: A financial unit used by EGM to track a player's funds during a session. Buy-in / Adding Credits: The act of a player / customer adding funds / credits to a gaming machine. Cashing out (also known as cashing out): The act of a player removing remaining money from a gaming machine. Voucher Number: A unique number, usually printed in barcode format, that links the physical voucher and ID to the money. SMIB: Slot Machine Interface Board, a specialized electronic circuit board used to communicate with the EGM via SAS. Query string: The part of a URL that contains variables and other dynamic information for processing by the web server. It is usually of the form ?name=vale&, where ? indicates the start of the sequence and & joins multiple variables. Digital wallet: A special storage location on a digital device (usually a smartphone) where users can store sensitive information (usually financial information), which is then encrypted using asymmetric cryptography. Cookie: A device (usually a file) stored on a user's device by a web server containing session or related information about the user. Event Relay: A method that can be used to relay data on-premise (beyond a firewall or security) to a computer service (usually a computer software service) running in a cloud environment. Mobile Tenant and Session DB: A database that holds information about sessions and the mobile device that initiated the session. A tenant is the logical owner of the data present in the DD. This can be a reference to a mobile device or a B2B user, such as a casino. Real-time Event Grid / Firebase: Real-time Event Grid is an implementation of MS Azure's Event Fabric (a way of interconnecting computer services). Firebase is Google's version of Event Fabric. EC / Epicentral: A promotional rewards system provided by TransAct Technologies, Inc. Redis / DB: Redis is an in-memory database or data store. REST (Representational State Transfer): A constraint / architectural paradigm for publishing or exposing remote APIs of computer services (application program interfaces) over a network, typically HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) over TCP / IP on a computer network (such as the Internet). REST call: The act of a computer client invoking an exposed REST API.

[0039] The present invention proposes a solution that helps casino operators gain insight and reward card-less customers. The proposed solution leverages the ubiquitous presence of TITO and TITO printers within casino floor operations. It is generally well known that TITO printers are typically only used to "cash out" at the end of a player's session. In most cases, TITO printers remain idle during a player's session. Therefore, the TITO printer process is an ideal yet underutilized way to communicate with players during their session.

[0040] When a player cashes out or prints a TITO voucher at the end of a gameplay session, a unique voucher number is generated (or previously generated and cached). This unique number is made available via SAS and made available to a third-party interface connected to the EGM's SAS port, allowing the third-party SMIB to "see" the player's voucher number. The present invention leverages this information, utilizing this voucher number as a session fingerprint that can be processed and stored for analysis.

[0041] A casino management system, a promotional system for providing rewards, or a third-party system can communicate with the EGM using a corresponding SMIB. Multiple SMIBs can be physically installed in a gaming machine. For example, a casino can install a SMIB in a gaming machine to enable communication between the EGM and the casino management system. Additionally, a third party (such as a third-party provider of a promotional reward system (e.g., the Epicentral system offered by TransAct Technologies, Inc., the assignee of the present invention) can also install a proprietary SMIB in the EGM to enable communication with the third-party system. The SMIB enables communication via SAS (or other serial communication protocol).

[0042] When a player adds credit or buys in (via a TITO voucher), the voucher number is again made available via SAS to any connected third-party SMIB. The present invention allows third-party solutions to infer additional session data or gameplay attributes about any player (e.g., via a SMIB connected to the EGM's SAS port). This information is extracted from the EGM's SAS interface and processed and stored along with the voucher number when the player cashes out as described above.

[0043] In this invention, by combining session attributes with the voucher number, a third-party solution can identify and reward a customer during a session if the player uses the same voucher to "buy in" or add credit to another casino game or other future sessions. By following this pattern, an operator can track and reward a player across multiple game sessions until the chain is broken, i.e., the player runs out of credit, or they do not cash out or buy in using a previously recognized TITO voucher.

[0044] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of system 10 that executes the process flows described below and illustrated in FIGS. 2, 6, 8, and 9. A casino management system 12 with a user interface 14 is connected to a network 16 (which may include one or more of a VPN, a LAN, a WAN, an EPN, a SAN, the Internet, etc.). A server 18 and a database 20 are also connected to network 16 to facilitate communication between casino management system 12 and other components of system 10 over the network. A promotion system 22 with a user interface 24 is also connected to network 16 to receive game play information from casino management system 12 and provide player rewards, as described in more detail below. Promotion system 22 may have access to database 20 and / or a database separate from casino management system 12.

[0045] 1 can take a variety of forms and can be comprised of a variety of hardware elements and / or software modules. A separate server 18 and database 20 may be provided for each of the casino management system 12 and the promotion system 22. For example, the casino management system 12 and the promotion system 22 may each be comprised of a dedicated server and database that are integrated with or in communication with the corresponding system.

[0046] Multiple EGMs 26 are connected to the network 16. Each EGM 26 consists of a general game display and controls 28, a TITO reader 30 for reading inserted vouchers, a TITO printer 32 for printing TITO vouchers, a bill acceptor 38, and one or more SMIBs 34. The EGMs 26 are connected to the network 16 and communicate with the casino management system 12 and promotions system 22, as previously described. The system also includes kiosks 36 equipped with bill acceptors 38 for accepting cash from players and TITO printers 32 for printing vouchers for corresponding cash amounts. The kiosks 36 may also include TITO readers 30 for reading and redeeming TITO vouchers and cash dispensers 40 for dispensing cash in accordance with redeemed vouchers. Personal player devices, such as smartphones 42 and PCs / tablets / laptops 44, are also connected to the network 16 and can scan barcodes or QR codes on vouchers to enable communication with a rewards website or mobile app, as described in more detail below. Casino personnel may also use smartphones 42 or PCs / tablets / laptops 44 on the casino floor to offer promotional rewards to players on specific EGMs 26 and to communicate with the casino management system 12 and promotion system 22. The system 10 may also include a data center 46 or hyperscaler 48 (e.g., Azure, AWS) that allows players to interact with cloud-based services to access various websites 50, for example, for reward redemption purposes.

[0047] Figure 2 shows a flow diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. In Session #1, Player 1 begins game play at the casino by inserting cash into the bill acceptor of the EGM 26 (Bill In). Alternatively, game play can be initiated by any form of cashless payment (e.g., AFT, EFT, credit card, TITO voucher, payment via electronic smartphone wallet 47, etc.). At the end of the game session, Player 1 cashes out (51), at which point the EGM 26 registers a cash out event (52) and prints a TITO voucher 33 from the TITO printer 32. The TITO voucher 33 can then be redeemed by Player 1 or used by Player 1 in a subsequent game play session, either with the same EGM 26 or a different EGM 26. The EGM 26 notifies the SMIB 34 of the cash out event (52) and provides the voucher ID and associated session data. The SMIB 34 then provides (53) the voucher ID and associated session data to a promotion system 22 (e.g., a rewards program system), which stores (54) the voucher ID and associated session data in database 20b.

[0048] If Player 1 chooses to start a new game session (Session #2) using the same TITO voucher 33, the EGM 26 recognizes that the voucher has been inserted and notifies the SMIB 34 of this event (56) and provides a voucher ID. This voucher ID is passed from the SMIB 34 to the promotion system 22 (57), which can use the voucher ID to look up previous session information (58). This information can be used by the promotion system 22 to reward Player 1 at the appropriate time (when a certain threshold is reached or at the end of the session). The reward information is communicated (59, 60) from the promotion system 22 to the SMIB 34, which can then print (61) a reward indicia on the voucher 33 using the EGM 26.

[0049] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a TITO voucher 33 used in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 2 above. As shown in FIG. 3, the voucher 33 is a standard TITO voucher (also referred to as a "cash-out voucher"). The reward indicia consists of a monetary amount 37 displayed on the voucher 33. For example, the monetary amount 37 may consist of the player's winnings and winning amount, or the winning amount alone. Alternatively, the reward indicia may be embodied in a barcode 55 or in another form, such as a separate image or text printed on the voucher 33. The unique voucher number 39 assigned to the voucher consists of a voucher validation number, as shown in FIG. 3. The unique voucher number 39 consists of a session fingerprint for the current or just completed gameplay session.

[0050] The unique voucher number 39 may be made available to at least one of the casino management system 12 and the promotion system 22 when the player adds additional game play credits to the electronic gaming machine 26, cashes out game play credits and ends the game play session, zeros out game play credits on the electronic gaming machine 26 and ends another game play session via the electronic gaming machine 26 or another electronic gaming machine, etc. A voucher 33 is generated each time the player 1 qualifies for a reward.

[0051] Instead of stamping the reward on a standard TITO voucher 33, the reward may be presented in the form of a coupon 41, as shown in Figure 4. The coupon 41 may be printed on the EGM 26 at the end of game play or at any predefined threshold of game play.

[0052] Rewards can be redeemed by presenting a voucher 33 or coupon 41 at a redemption location, which may include a casino gaming machine 26, a restaurant, a hotel, a cash dispenser 40, an online store (e.g., via a public website 50), a rental car company, a retail store, a gift shop, a website 50, etc. Rewards may include physical gifts from an online store or a brick-and-mortar store, game play credits redeemable at a casino gaming machine 26, discount coupons for meals, hotel stays, travel, events, experiences, etc.

[0053] In a further embodiment of the present invention, for a cardless player, a printed slip or voucher 33 may be generated via the TITO printer 32 that encodes unique gameplay session attributes for that player's session. These unique elements may include, but are not limited to, an EGM identifier, an internal session identifier, a timestamp, session start and end times, session duration, location, EGM serial number, amounts won, amounts lost, game identifiers, number of games or sessions played, amounts wagered, and play time per game or session. Matching this information (or portions thereof) may represent a fingerprint of that player's session. The gameplay session attributes may be encoded into the barcode 55 on the voucher 33 or into a QR code printed on the voucher, as described in more detail below.

[0054] For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a voucher / ticket / voucher 33′ can be issued from a TITO printer 32 with a unique fingerprint and URL encoded in a QR code 45. This printed voucher 33′ can be scanned and interpreted by any smartphone 42 or device equipped with a camera capable of reading QR codes 45. Upon scanning the QR code 45 with the player's smartphone 42, the player 1 is directed to a website 50 that contains the fingerprint information (one or more of the gameplay session attributes) embedded in the URL via a query string attribute. The website 50 could be a public website or a website hosted by the casino (via the casino management system 12) or the promotion system 22.

[0055] It should be appreciated that vouchers 33, 33' can be printed when player 1 cashes out, at periodic intervals during a gameplay session, or when the credits in EGM 26 equal a set minimum, thereby ensuring that vouchers 33, 33' are printed even during non-winning gameplay sessions. In this manner, both winning and losing players can be tracked.

[0056] With session information encoded within the URL, the information can be extracted and stored and processed by the website 60. However, it is important to note that the session information does not include PID information; the only information included in the session information is non-personally identifiable information about the session, i.e., a fingerprint.

[0057] When Player 1 visits Website 50 and session data is extracted, a second fingerprint and unique ID are generated and stored in the form of a cookie, which allows the printed and previously encoded session data to be linked to the cookie and the player's smartphone 42. The use of cookies is essential to this solution; the newly added cookie acts as a proxy for the player's PID or other identifying information, allowing future sessions to be associated with the data (fingerprint and unique ID) in that cookie on subsequent visits.

[0058] Website 50 may award rewards to Player 1 based on gameplay information. Such rewards may consist of physical gifts that can be picked up from various stores (online or brick-and-mortar stores inside or outside the casino). Rewards may also include credits for playing more games, discounts on dining or hotel stays in or near the casino, etc. To claim rewards, Player 1 may be required to provide personal identification information and demographic information (e.g., signing up for a players card or players club membership).

[0059] A second option is for the casino management system 12 to provide in-session pointing (such as printing a voucher with a QR code periodically during the session) that Player 1 can scan at any time via the website 50 to store the reward in the player's anonymous digital wallet 47. The reward would be embedded in a cookie along with the fingerprint. This would further decouple Player 1 from the EGM 26, allowing them to scan the reward at some point later in the session without interrupting gameplay.

[0060] Figure 6 shows a flow diagram of such an embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 6, we assume that a session for players without cards begins when Player 1 begins playing EGM 26 at Casino 5. However, the same flow can also be used to obtain data for players with cards.

[0061] Player 1 begins play by buying in at the EGM 26 using cash or by inserting a TITO voucher 33, 33' obtained from a casino cage or kiosk 36 or from a previous gaming session. Game play occurs first, initiating a session (64). The start time and other attributes of the session are recorded by the casino management system 12 (e.g., in the session database 20a). The session information is also communicated (65) to the promotion system 22 and stored in database 20b.

[0062] At some stage (during gameplay or at the end of the session), the promotion system 22 triggers the printing (66) of a voucher 33' bearing an encoded fingerprint (e.g., a QR code 45). This voucher is printed by the EGM 26 and informs Player 1 that he or she is eligible for additional rewards and instructs him or her to scan the accompanying QR code 45 to participate.

[0063] Once QR code 45 is scanned (67), Player 1 is directed to a predefined website (e.g., website 50, casino management system 12 website 23, or one of the other websites mentioned above) that verifies the fingerprint via a URL query parameter and, if valid, asks for player information. Player 1 can provide that information or "opt out" at this point, but to earn certain rewards, Player 1 will ultimately be required to provide some personal information. A cookie or other embedded data containing the "device-identifying" fingerprint is installed on the user's device (68). This occurs regardless of whether Player 1 provides personal information at this point. The cookie and / or embedded fingerprint (via local storage on the user device, such as a smartphone 42, tablet computer 44, or other internet-enabled device) serves as a proxy for identifiable information.

[0064] The fingerprint is simultaneously stored (69) in the casino management system 12 and the promotion system 22, allowing device / user information to be searched, matched, and aggregated during subsequent visits. The fingerprint / device / user information is associated with game play on the active EGM 26 until the session ends.

[0065] Player 1 continues playing until he or she ends the current gameplay session, for example, by cashing out or until the credit meter drops below a threshold (70). The casino management system 12 and promotion system 22 detect this and record this information. Event and session data are recorded until it is detected that the session has "ended" (71). At that point, the promotion system may distribute printed prizes (72) (e.g., in the form of the aforementioned vouchers or coupons).

[0066] The above flow process can be configured to repeat as many times as possible until Player 1 achieves a desired threshold of play set by the casino / system 12. Session information can also be carried over to another EGM 26 using TITO vouchers 33, 33' from a previous EGM 26, with the system 12, 22 aggregating previous and current gameplay information. This can be repeated across multiple EGMs 26, as long as the TITO vouchers 33, 33' from the immediately preceding EGM 26 are inserted into the other EGMs 26.

[0067] When Player 1 reaches or exceeds a play threshold set by Casino 5 for a particular intended reward, a prize coupon is delivered to Player 1. FIG. 7 shows an exemplary embodiment of such a reward coupon 41′. This coupon 41′ may also include a QR code 45 (with an encoded fingerprint) that directs to the same (or other) website 50, where Player 1 must select a reward or provide user identification information to receive the reward. Coupon 41′ may also represent the reward itself, such as a free meal, free play, or a discounted hotel stay, redeemable solely with the physical coupon.

[0068] In a further embodiment of the present invention, a downloadable mobile app 49 for smartphones 42 is provided. As previously described, a voucher / ticket / voucher 33' is distributed via a TITO printer 32 with a unique fingerprint and URL encoded into a standard QR code 45. This printed voucher 33' can be scanned and interpreted by any smartphone 42 or device equipped with a camera capable of reading QR codes 45. When scanned by a player's smartphone 42, the player 1 is directed to a website 50 with the fingerprint information embedded in the URL via a query string attribute.

[0069] Using the session information encoded within the URL, the information can be extracted and stored and processed by the website. As mentioned above, it is important to note that the session information does not include PID information. It only contains non-personally identifiable information about the session (fingerprint) and information about the mobile app. This information is used by the smartphone's operating system to identify the required app and prompt the player to download it. When scanned by the player's smartphone 42, the player is prompted to download the mobile app 49 (if it is not already installed).

[0070] If the mobile app 49 is not already installed on the player's smartphone 42, Player 1 is prompted to download the app 49 by scanning the QR code 45. If Player 1 chooses to install the mobile app 49, upon installation, the mobile app 49 creates a unique ID and digital fingerprint that uniquely identifies the installation and serves as a proxy for Player 1 and their PID. This ID is used to anonymously link Player 1 and their smartphone 42 to the fingerprint generated and printed by the TITO printer 32 during the session. This allows Casino 5 to reward these Players 1 for gameplay, even though Player 1 remains "uncarded" and anonymous, since Player 1 does not need to share their PID with Casino 5 unless Player 1 chooses to do so.

[0071] Once app 49 is installed, Player 1 simply scans any printed media (e.g., voucher 33' or coupons 41, 41') generated during the session. This allows Casino 5 two ways to contact Player 1. First, as mentioned above, it is by scanning slips / tickets printed during the session so that Player 1 can track subsequent play during that session and receive credit.

[0072] A second option is for Casino 5 to provide points during the session and allow Player 1 to scan and store them in the player's digital wallet 47. This further decouples Player 1 from EGM 26, allowing them to scan their rewards at some point after the session so as not to interrupt gameplay.

[0073] Similarly, if Player 1 already has the mobile app 49, when he scans the QR code 45, the mobile app 49 will log the app's unique ID / fingerprint and associate it with the session fingerprint or store the printed promotion in the player's digital wallet 47.

[0074] Figures 8 and 9 show a flow diagram of such an embodiment of the present invention. In Figures 8 and 9, we assume that Player 1 has installed a mobile app 49 on his smartphone 42. This creates a unique digital fingerprint for that smartphone 42, allowing this device to be linked to any gameplay described herein.

[0075] Similar to the previously described embodiment of FIG. 6, Player 1 begins a gameplay session (64) by buying in (using cash) at EGM 26 or by inserting a TITO voucher obtained from casino cage or kiosk 36 or a previous game session. Gameplay begins, initiating a session (65). The session's start time and other attributes are recorded by casino management system 12. Session information is also communicated to promotion system 22 and stored in database 20b. At some stage (during gameplay or at the end of the session), promotion system 22 triggers the printing of a voucher 33' (66) containing an encoded fingerprint (e.g., embedded in QR code 45). This voucher is printed at EGM 26 and informs Player 1 that he or she is eligible for additional rewards and instructs him or her to scan the accompanying QR code 45 to participate.

[0076] Rather than being directed to a website as in the embodiment of Figure 6, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, when Player 1 scans (67) the QR code 45, a rewards app 49 (e.g., the Epic Player app provided by the assignee of the present invention) is launched on the player's smartphone 42 (or other internet-enabled device) via a mobile REST API 75. The app 49 decodes and stores the fingerprint, associating the smartphone 42 and Player 1 with their gameplay on the EGM 26.

[0077] The app 49 communicates with the casino management system 12 backend and the promotion system 22 that hosts the app 49, and associates the device / phone / user with gameplay until the session ends. Player 1 continues playing until he or she ends the current gameplay session, for example, by cashing out or until the credit meter drops below a threshold. The casino management system 12 and promotion system 22 detect this and record this information. Events and session data are recorded (71) until the session is detected as "ended."

[0078] The above process can be set to repeat as many times as possible until Player 1 reaches a desired threshold of play as set by the casino / system. Session information can also be carried over to another EGM 26 using TITO vouchers 33, 33' from a previous EGM 26, and the system 12, 22 aggregates previous and current gameplay information. This can be repeated across multiple EGMs 26, as long as the TITO voucher from the immediately preceding EGM 26 is inserted into the other EGM 26.

[0079] When Player 1 reaches or exceeds a play threshold set by Casino 5 for a particular intended reward, Player 1 is provided with a prize (72, 73). The prize is provided in the form of a physical promotional coupon / voucher 41, 41' printed by EGM 26 (see Figure 8). The printed prize can be scanned (74) into a digital wallet 47. Alternatively, the reward can be delivered digitally (73) directly to the player's smartphone 42 via app 49 (see Figure 9).

[0080] Similar to the embodiment of Figure 6, the physical coupon 41' may also include a QR code 45 (with an encoded fingerprint) that directs Player 1 to a website where Player 1 must select a reward and provide user identification information to receive the reward. The coupon 41, 41' may also present the reward itself, such as a free meal, free play, or discounted hotel stay, redeemable only with the physical coupon.

[0081] In all embodiments, the casino can use this anonymous data for analysis to better target Player 1 with offers for returning to the site and gaming incentives via the TITO printer 32. This is done to provide rewards to these anonymous players to encourage them to provide demographic and additional customer information. Rewards can be generated based on one or more various thresholds, such as dollar amount (win or loss), playing time per session, number of sessions played, total wagers, or type or number of games played. Rewards can be provided to players at the end of a session or after multiple sessions. Rewards can also be generated during a session (e.g., printing a voucher with a reward marking while playing a game). Reward redemption may be tied to the player registering with the casino in some way, such as providing personal information to register for a player card or signing up for a casino rewards account (via a dedicated website or smartphone application).

[0082] In summary, the present invention enables casino operators to track non-cardholder players across multiple sessions and reward them based on their cumulative play. Rewards can be provided via promotional vouchers directed to a website or mobile app. Rewards can be contingent on the player registering a card with the casino, joining a casino player club, or providing personal identification information. Thus, the present invention allows casinos to more accurately derive the "true value" of non-cardholder players and encourage non-cardholders to register with the casino and become cardholders. The systems, devices, and methods of the claimed invention enable tracking and rewarding non-cardholders across multiple sessions and modalities (physical vouchers, digital). It is important to note that while the primary focus of the present invention is non-cardholders, this same technology can also be applied to reward cardholders.

[0083] It should be appreciated that the present invention provides an advantageous method and apparatus for tracking and rewarding non-card-carrying casino patrons and encouraging non-card-carrying patrons to become card-carrying players.

[0084] While the present invention has been described with reference to various illustrated embodiments, numerous modifications and adaptations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. 1. A player identification and tracking system that identifies, tracks, and rewards cardless players using ticket vouchers, comprising: at least one electronic gaming machine equipped with a TITO printer; a casino management system in communication with the electronic gaming machines; a promotion system in communication with the casino management system; and wherein the electronic gaming machine transmits game play information for each game play session of the player to at least one of the casino management system and the promotion system; generating a reward for the player by one of the casino management system and the promotion system at a predetermined gameplay threshold; a reward indicia of the reward is embodied in a voucher printed by said electronic gaming machine; The voucher is assigned a unique voucher number; Player identification and tracking system.

2. 10. The player identification and tracking system of claim 1, wherein the voucher is generated each time a player qualifies for a reward,

3. 10. The player identification and tracking system of claim 1, wherein the unique voucher number comprises a session fingerprint of a current or just completed game play session.

4. 4. The player identification and tracking system of claim 3, wherein the electronic gaming machine further comprises one or more slot machine interface boards (SMIBs) that enable communication with at least one of the casino management system and the promotion system, and the unique voucher number is communicated to at least one of the casino management system and the promotion system.

5. 4. The player identification and tracking system of claim 3, wherein the unique voucher number becomes available to at least one of the casino management system and the promotion system when the player at least one of adds additional game play credits to the electronic gaming machine, cashes out the game play credits and ends the game play session, plays down the game play credits to zero on the electronic gaming machine and ends the game play session, or starts another game play session via the electronic gaming machine or another electronic gaming machine.

6. 4. The player identification and tracking system of claim 3, wherein the gameplay information includes gameplay session attributes, and the gameplay session attributes are communicated to at least one of the casino management system and the promotion system in association with a unique voucher number.

7. 7. The player identification and tracking system of claim 6, wherein the game play session attributes include one or more of an electronic gaming machine identifier, an electronic gaming machine serial number, an internal session identifier, a timestamp, a session start and end time, a session duration, a location, a winning amount, a losing amount, a game identifier, a number of games or sessions played, a wager amount, and a playing time per game or session.

8. The player identification and tracking system of claim 6 , wherein the session fingerprint includes at least a portion of game play session attributes.

9. 9. The player identification and tracking system of claim 8, wherein the pre-printed voucher includes a QR code, the session fingerprint and URL are encoded in the QR code, and the session fingerprint serves as a proxy for the player and the player's personal identification information used by at least one of the casino management system and the promotion system to identify the player.

10. 10. The player identification and tracking system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the reward indicia or the QR code associated with the reward is scannable into a player's digital wallet for storage and later use.

11. scanning of the QR code by a player's mobile electronic device renders a website identified by the URL, the website adapted to extract the session information from the session fingerprint; and 10. The player identification and tracking system of claim 9, wherein based on the session information, the website generates a prize for redemption by the player.

12. a website host of the website including either the casino management system or the promotion system; the website host generates and stores a second fingerprint and a unique identifier in the form of a cookie based on the extracted session data; the cookie is linked to the player's mobile electronic device; The cookie acts as a proxy for the player's personally identifiable information, and further gameplay sessions can be linked and associated with the cookie.

12. The player identification and tracking system of claim 11.

13. The reward is:

12. The player identification and tracking system of claim 11, wherein the player is redeemed by either the player providing personal identification information to at least one of the casino management system and the promotion system, or the player registering for a casino player card.

14. scanning the QR code with a player's mobile electronic device to render the mobile app identified by the URL for download onto the player's mobile electronic device; 10. The player identification and tracking system of claim 9, wherein the mobile app, once downloaded, generates a unique identifier that acts as a proxy for the player's personal identification information based on the extracted session data, enabling further game play sessions to be linked and associated with the downloaded mobile app.

15. 15. The player identification and tracking system of claim 14, wherein following download of the mobile app, further session information is automatically communicated to one of the casino management system and the promotion system, and further rewards are provided to the player based on the further session information.

16. 16. The player identification and tracking system of claim 15, wherein the reward indicia of the reward and further reward are automatically transmitted to and stored in the player's digital wallet.

17. 15. The player identification and tracking system of claim 14, wherein the reward is redeemed by either the player providing personal identification information to at least one of the casino management system and the promotion system, or the player registering for a casino player card.

18. 10. The player identification and tracking system of claim 9, wherein the QR code or associated reward indicia is scanned at a redemption location to obtain a reward.

19. 10. The player identification and tracking system of claim 1, wherein the gameplay information is accumulated across multiple gameplay sessions and / or multiple electronic gaming machines through the use of the vouchers.

20. 2. The player identification and tracking system of claim 1, wherein the voucher is printed periodically during a game play session and at least once at the end of the game play session based on the predetermined threshold, the predetermined threshold being based on one or more of playing time, winnings, losses, game play sessions played, total wagers, and type or number of games played.

21. the reward is redeemable by presenting a voucher at a redemption location; 10. The player identification and tracking system of claim 1, wherein the redemption locations include one or more of a casino gaming machine, a restaurant, a hotel, an automated teller machine, an online store, a car rental agency, a retail store, a gift shop, and a website.

22. 22. The player identification and tracking system of claim 21, wherein the rewards include one or more of a physical gift from an online or brick-and-mortar store, game play credits redeemable at a casino gaming machine, and discount coupons for meals, hotel stays, travel, events, or experiences.

23. 2. The player identification and tracking system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the casino management system and promotion system collects gameplay information over time from multiple gameplay sessions of the player, and the collected gameplay information is analyzed to do at least one of providing targeted rewards to the player, providing player incentives for further game play, and encouraging the player to register for a casino player card.

24. 24. The player identification and tracking system of claim 23, wherein session information from the multiple game play sessions and players is analyzed.

25. 1. A method for identifying, tracking, and rewarding cardless players using ticket vouchers, comprising: Provide at least one electronic gaming machine equipped with a TITO printer; Enables communication between electronic gaming machines, casino management systems, and promotion systems; communicating game play information for each game play session of said player to at least one of said casino management system and said promotion system; initiate, at a predetermined threshold of game play, communication of a reward to the player from at least one of the casino management system and the promotion system; printing a reward indicia of the reward on the voucher printed by the electronic gaming machine; assigning a unique voucher number to said voucher; The method includes:

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