Casino Patron Tracking System for Money Laundering Detection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Casino gaming systems face challenges in preventing the misuse of monetary value tickets for money laundering, as these tickets can be used to launder large amounts of currency by converting winnings into seemingly legitimate forms.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a tracking system that captures and analyzes images of patrons redeeming these tickets, allowing for anonymous or identified tracking, which links transaction information to image data and requires ID verification for suspicious activity reporting, thereby preventing money laundering.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If monetary value tickets are used for cashing out gaming machines, then player convenience and machine operation are improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to money laundering activities

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconvenience of cashing outVSAvoidmoney laundering risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by capturing images of patrons at redemption stations, analyzing transaction patterns, and reporting suspicious activities to compliance systems. This creates a monitoring loop that detects money laundering attempts while maintaining normal ticket operations, thus preserving convenience while mitigating harm.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary monitoring system between the ticket redemption process and the cash dispensing. This intermediary layer captures images, analyzes transactions, and can block suspicious redemptions without disrupting legitimate player cash-outs, thus maintaining ease of operation for genuine users while preventing money laundering.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If anonymous tracking is implemented for redemption transactions, then player privacy is protected, but the ability to detect money laundering is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplayer privacy protectionVSAvoidmoney laundering detection capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments player information handling into two parts: anonymous image capture for routine tracking that protects privacy, and selective ID verification for suspicious transactions that enhances detection capability. This segmentation allows the system to maintain privacy for legitimate players while enabling detection when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies partial action by implementing image-based anonymous tracking for all transactions (sufficient for basic monitoring) and adding ID verification only for suspicious cases (excessive action only when needed). This approach maintains privacy while providing enhanced detection capability when required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If ID verification is required for all redemptions, then money laundering detection is improved, but system complexity and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemoney laundering detectionVSAvoidverification system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements ID verification partially - only for transactions flagged as suspicious by the image analysis and pattern recognition systems. For normal transactions, the anonymous image tracking suffices, avoiding unnecessary complexity and processing time while maintaining detection capability for problematic cases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary image capture and analysis before determining whether ID verification is needed. This preliminary action filters out legitimate transactions that don't require complex verification, reducing overall system complexity and processing time while maintaining reliable detection for suspicious activities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Productivity

If automated redemption stations are used, then operational efficiency is improved, but the ability to verify patron identity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveredemption processing speedVSAvoidpatron identity information

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual ID verification (mechanical process) with automated image capture and analysis (optical/electronic system). This substitution maintains the speed and efficiency of automated redemption stations while enabling identity tracking through image recognition and pattern analysis, thus preserving productivity without completely losing identity information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS20240371233A1System and method for tracking patron gaming ticket redemption

Publication Date: 2024.11.07 EVERI PAYMENTS

AI summary

Methods and systems are provided for tracking of patron redemption of monetary value gaming tickets. In a method of anonymous tracking, at least one image of a patron seeking to redeem a monetary value ticket at a redemption station is obtained and is stored in association with information regarding the monetary value that the patron presented for redemption. Transactions by the same patron may be linked via the image of the patron. In another configuration, a patron's ID is read and a patron account is created in association with an issued media. The patron uses the media to identify their account when redeeming a monetary value gaming ticket. Reported information may be analyzed, such as for suspicious activity and money laundering reporting.