Description

Field of the art

The present invention regards the field of remote monitoring systems, in this particular case applied to the game of chance which may occur in casinos or online by means of dedicated websites or game Apps. Even more precisely, the present invention regards games of the “slot machines” type, i.e. games where one has to align several symbols to form winning combinations, which represent one of the most popular games.

Prior art

The game of chance consists in gambling assets, in particular money, on the outcome of a future event. This event may occur in a table top game such as the roulette or a competition such as horse racing, but generally on any activity that offers uncertainty on the final outcome.

Slot machines are a typical game, found even in very small gaming rooms, like in some bars. Once found in casinos only, the game of chance is now mainly available online, in dedicated websites. As a matter of fact, the web is full of virtual casinos, websites dedicated to reviews on the latter as well as blogs and debate forums among passionate gamblers.

As known, the game of chance can become a true disease, that can be diagnosed and cured through appropriate psychotherapy. This disease pushes one to play compulsively, to enjoy the thrill of risk, which is at times proportional to the risk at stake. Even being aware of how the game of chance works, people suffering from this disease continue playing without the ability to stop doing so until they lose everything.

Besides the compulsive aspects, the pathological gambling is characterised by typical cognitive distortions, like the illusion of having control over the outcome of the rounds played, the belief that the greater the delay of a given event the higher the chances it may occur and the false-satisfaction drawn from“near misses”. These are game situations in which a combination close to the one subject of the player’s gamble occurs. Obviously a “near miss” is nothing but a loss but, for those suffering from gambling disorders, it is perceived as getting closer to success and thus, ironically, it turns into an incentive to continue gambling.

The power of this distortion has been known over the years, to an extent that instantaneous lotteries and video lotteries are specifically programmed to produce a high frequency of “near misses” and thus encourage the player to continue gambling.

Online gambling represents the merger of the game of chance with the simplicity of access offered by the internet. Firstly, the web offers access to an immeasurable amount of games at any time to which the person is invited to take part through advertisement banners which mislead the player on the possibility of earning large sums of money by investing small amounts. Secondly, the internet allows anyone to play away from the judging eyes of other people who could recognise cases of compulsive gambling. Furthermore, given that it is difficult to verify the identity of the player through the web, the aforementioned problems already affect minors, despite the fact that the laws in force allow gambling for adults only. Some international patents specifically regard tools for monitoring pathological gamblers. An example is represented by patent n° WO2012129636 which claims a method for person addicted to gambling who manages him/herself using one or more electronic devices comprising at least one processor and at least one display. The method comprises a self- screening module configured to display several questions relating to gambling addiction, receive answers and provide an assessment on the gravity of the gambling addiction. The method also provides for the person to perform exercises relating to gambling addiction and a self-monitoring form conceived to receive information by way of response towards the drive to play again.

Another patent, US2012129596, instead regards a method for verifying the identity of a user in a virtual environment including the periodic transmission of biometric data and geographic position data of the user. The integrated systems may include devices which automatically eliminate biometric data in case of tampering to prevent the information on the identity of the player from being tampered with, as well as for preventing a player from accessing the software, the graphics or other content associated to another user. This patent can be usefully applied to online gambling but does not offer any teaching on preventing or monitoring the pathological aspects of gambling.

Thus, the object of the present invention is to provide a method for monitoring online gambling and in particular the game of slot machines, capable of effectively solving the problems examined up to date. Description of the invention

According to the present invention, a method for monitoring gambling of the slot machine type, which effectively solves the aforementioned problems is described herein.

The system and the method described hereinafter are suitable to allow sharing the jackpots at stake among a plurality of players positioned remotely with respect to each other.

Advantageously, each player can choose the favourite station thereof as long as he/she uses an electronic device connected to the internet. This may be a smartphone or a tablet, a desktop computer, or even a slot machine of any gambling room of a bar or casino.

Advantageously, a dedicated App will be provided for games from mobile devices.

Thanks to the internet, each player will be connected to a dedicated server, whose user profile will have been previously stored in the memory thereof. Acting in said server is the gaming software which manages the accumulation, awarding and subsequent re- accumulation of jackpots among said plurality of players following a plurality of games. Following each single prize won by a player, a bonus prize goes to increase one of the present jackpots. Simultaneously, still proportionally to the prize, the player who just won receives a given number of symbols for the same jackpot. Upon reaching the pre-established number of symbols, the graphic of a new round that could have a positive or negative outcome will appear on the screen of the electronic device with which the user is playing. In case of a win, the entire jackpot accumulated previously, even thanks to the prizes of the other players, will be awarded to the player in question. In case of a loss the jackpot will remain intact. In both cases the symbols of the player in question will be reset.

The method for access to the game is as follows:

(A) registering the personal profile of the player in the memory of the dedicated server, sending a copy of the identity documents so as to allow verifying whether the player is an adult. Two limits will be required to be set at this stage: a daily-weekly-monthly limit concerning the spendable amount of money and the time of connection to the server and thus the maximum play time;

(B) receiving, at a pre-established address of the player, at least one biometric recognition device to be connected to the electronic device by means of which the player is usually connected to play, by means of any wired or wireless connection system. The biometric recognition device will have the purpose of sending the detected data to the dedicated server so as to verify the identity of the player. Such sending will occur at each connection and, in an embodiment of the present invention, even at regular and pre-established time intervals so as to prevent the identity of the player from changing during the period of connection to the server.

Such biometric recognition devices can be, by way of non-limiting example, a fingerprint reader and/or a virtual reality visor provided with a miniaturised video camera which verifies the identity of the player by means of eye scanning. In a further implementation provided for by the present invention, the dedicated software installed in the server is suitable to process the images received by the miniaturised video camera to detect possible states of psycho physical alteration of the player.

(C) access to the dedicated server by means of the relative App by entering a pre- established username and password combination and sending the data of the biometric recognition device;

(D) displaying the various virtual slot machines distinguished by the indication of the total jackpot currently at stake;

(E) Selecting one of the available slot machines and displaying a game screen consisting of a plurality of boxes including, at least:

- a first box displaying the name of the game in progress;

- one second box displaying the accumulated jackpots at least one of which will be distributed at the end of the game;

- a third box displaying the number of symbols accumulated;

- one fourth box configured depending on the type of game, showing how the game is played and the available moves;

- one lower box suitable to serve as a chat between players engaged in the same game;

(F) a game stage in which each game consists of a plurality of rounds after which an additional percentage of the prize of each player contributes towards forming a jackpot and each player who has been awarded a prize is assigned a number of virtual symbols proportional to the prize;

(G) verifying whether the pre-set number of symbols has been reached; if positive, the game will proceed (stage F). If positive, i.e. the number of symbols has been reached, the software is suitable to execute a random round whose result can be a win W or a loss L. In case of a win W the step FF of awarding the entire jackpot to the player who made the move will be carried out before the game F can continue; in case of loss L, instead, one may proceed with game stage F without any jackpot at stake.

(H) In both cases, the number of symbols accumulated previously will be reset.

(I) At this point, in order to authorise the player to engage in new games, the software verifies whether the spendable amount limit pre-set during the registration step has been reached. Should said verification be positive, i.e. the limit has been reached, the player will no longer be authorised to play at least using actual money. The player may possibly continue to play other games spending virtual credit that will not affect his/her personal assets. Should the available amount of money still be within the spendable limit, there follows a second

(J) verification on whether the limit time set at the registration step has expired.

Should the verification be positive, i.e. the limit time has been exceeded, the player will no longer be authorised to play, followed by exit from the application. Should the verification be negative, the method will

(K) display a new screen for selecting the virtual slot machine to start a new game in a new game stage.

(KK) Upon stopping playing, the user carries out a step for exiting from the application by logging out from the App or from the web page from which he/she had carried out the access.

With the aim of providing a useful tool for the family members of pathological gamblers who could find themselves entangled in major financial trouble due to a gambler family member, the present invention also offers a tool useful to this end. As a matter of fact, the method provides for the possibility for anyone who can prove to be a member of the same family as a player registered to the server to request authorisation to view the game time and the amount of money gambled by the player.

The advantages provided by the present invention will be clear in light of the description outlined up to now. Furthermore, they will be more apparent due to the attached figures and relative detailed description.

Description of the figures

The invention will be described hereinafter in at least one preferred embodiment, provided by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached figures, wherein:

- FIGURE 1 shows a block diagram of the technological components that intervene during the execution of the method of the present invention, in an embodiment thereof in which the players 100 are remote-monitored by a family member 200 thereof.

- FIGURE 2 illustrates some possible components of the kit received at home by each registered player 100. FIG 2(a) shows a fixed gaming station 155 associated to a digital fingerprint reader 160. FIG.2(b) shows a mobile gaming station 150 connected in a wireless fashion 175 to a virtual reality visor 170.

- FIGURE 3 shows the flow chart of the method subject of the invention. - FIGURE 4 shows an example of a gaming screen 180 in which the name of the game in progress is indicated in a first box 181, the jackpots accumulated by all players 100 engaged in the same game is indicated in a second box 182, the number of accumulated symbols is indicated in a third box 183, the representation of the game in progress is indicated in the fourth box 184 and in a lower box 186 serving as a chat between players 100.

Detailed description of the invention

Now, the present invention will be illustrated purely by way of non-limiting or non-binding example, with reference to the figures illustrating some embodiments regarding the present inventive concept.

Shown with reference to FIG. 1 are the subjects interacting in an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows that the various players 100 can be connected both to fixed devices 155, a computer for example, and mobile devices 150 such as smartphones, on which the App dedicated to the game had been previously downloaded and installed.

All electronic devices 150-155 through which the players 100 play, must be provided with internet connection so as to allow to communicate data with the server 300 dedicated to the service that allows to execute games with a jackpot shared among several players 100.

In order to avoid pathological implications of the game, at least one family member 200 of a player 100 registered to the server 300 may request authorisation to view the data regarding the gaming time and the amount of money subject of gaming, so as to possibly eliminate gambling addiction issues right from the start.

The authorisation to view this data occurs after submitting documents proving the family relationship between the two individuals.

Shown with reference to FIG. 2 are two examples of biometric recognition devices 160-170, more specifically, a digital fingerprint reader 160 and a virtual reality visor 170 provided with a miniaturised video camera.

Before accessing the server 300, according to the method subject of the present invention, the player 100 registers the personal profile in the memory 320 of the server 300, by submitting a copy of the identification documents thereof as proof of adulthood. During the registration (stage A), the player 100 must set the allowed gaming time limits at daily, weekly or monthly intervals (an infinite limit can also be set) and spendable amount (possibly setting an infinite limit too).

Setting of these parameters could help a pathological player 100 to be conscious of his/her problem.

After registering, each registered player 100 will receive the chosen biometric recognition device 160-170 at a pre-established address.

Should the player 100 be connected at a fixed station 155, it is preferable that he/she uses a digital fingerprint reader 160. Should the player 100 wish to engage in an even more immersive experience, he/she may opt to receive the visor 170 at home.

Given that risks relating to psychical alteration following prolonged use of virtual reality, the visor 170 will be provided with a video camera which recognises the pupil of the player 100 and thus detecting the mental state of health besides the identification of the player.

Upon receiving the device at home 160-170 and connecting to the computer or smartphone by means of a wired or wireless connection (for example bluetooth 175), the player 100 accesses the server by entering the pre-set username and password credentials and verifying the identity thereof using the digital fingerprint reader 160 or the visor 170. At this point, he/she will see all selectable virtual slot machines distinguished by the total jackpot currently at stake.

The gaming software installed in the server 300, will manage the games and the prizes of each player 100 to which a bonus prize to be added on top of one of the jackpots will be added. Simultaneously with each prize, the player 100 who won it is awarded a number of symbols proportional to the total prize.

When gaming, in the video screen 180, each player 100 will see a plurality of boxes, beside the main central box 184 where the game is played, in which he/she may always keep an eye on the jackpots, the number of accumulated symbols and a box dedicated to the chat between connected players 100.

Upon reaching a predetermined number of symbols, the software will automatically execute another random round visible on the main screen 180, in case of a win, will award the entire jackpot to the player 100, downloading the number of symbols, while the jackpot will remain intact in case of a loss and the total of symbols previously accumulated by the player 100 will be reset.

For each player 100, the authorisation to proceed to subsequent games is granted only following a double verification: one regarding reaching the limit amount of money for that day, week or month, while the second verification regards the time spent by the player for that day, week or month.

Should none of the limits have been reached, the player 100 may proceed to select a new game about to start.

Should the money limit be exceeded, the player 100 may continue playing using virtual credits.

Lastly, it is clear that the invention described up to now may be subjected to modifications, additions or variants obvious to a man skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of protection outlined by the attached claims.