GB2281651A

GB2281651A - Gaming or amusement with prizes machines

Info

Publication number: GB2281651A
Application number: GB9417534A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ronald Arthur Watts; Alan Geoffrey Parker
Original assignee: SONIC GAMES Ltd
Current assignee: SONIC GAMES Ltd
Priority date: 1993-09-02
Filing date: 1994-09-01
Publication date: 1995-03-08
Anticipated expiration: 2014-09-01
Also published as: GB9318202D0; GB2281651B; GB9417534D0

Abstract

A gaming or amusement with prizes machine can be played both by using coins or tokens and a portable storage device, e.g. a card. With a card inserted, the machine has different characteristics from when coins or tokens are used. The prizes may be greater or the odds on winning may be shortened. To avoid over-payment by the machine, greater prizes may be awarded at less frequency and vice versa. The card, which may initially have to be primed by playing and winning with coins or tokens, will have one account debited for each play and another account credited for each win. Transfer from the second to the first account may require the card to be physically adjusted, such as by being partially withdrawn and then pushed in again.

Description

"Improvements relating to Gaming or Amusement with prizes Machines" This invention relates to gaming or amusement with prizes machines (AWPs).

Such machines are usually cash operated. Some are adapted to accept tokens, purchased for cash. These tokens are generally inert stamped metal discs resembling coins, and any references to cash or coins in this specification should be understood to include such tokens.

There is usually a maximum permitted stake, for example it is currently twenty pence for AWPs. But although this individually is low, the amount of cash in a machine at any one time can be very considerable, and of course it makes such machines tempting targets for thieves.

Proposals have been made for using tickets or cash cards only. Examples are to be found in GB1391060, GB1558521, GB-A-2241098 and WO 91/01538. As far as we are aware, not one of these has ever been put into practice, perhaps because of a narrow interpretation of the Gaming Act.

GB1544962 describes a gaming machine where credit cards, bills and counters can all be used, and where it is a matter of choice how the player pays in and how he draws winnings out. But the choice made does not affect the game itself.

The aim this invention is to reduce the amount of cash handled, by encouraging the use of a cash card or the like, but not to eliminate cash entirely.

According to the present invention, there is provided a gaming or amusement with prizes machine adapted to operate both by the insertion of coins and by the insertion of a portable storage device, the machine having means for recording and reading information representing a cash balance on that device, wherein insertion of the device causes the playing characteristics of the machine to be altered as compared with the playing characteristics when coins are used.

Conveniently, the portable storage device will be in the form of a card, and will be referred to as such hereafter.

The alteration of the playing characteristics may be a change in the value of at least one prize. For example, the insertion of the card could double the value of prizes available. But some may be increased more than others, while a few may not be increased at all.

The alteration of the playing characteristics may alternatively, or in addition, be a change in the probablity of a win. In order not to destroy the viability of the machine to the proprietor, if the insertion of the card increases the prizes available, then the probability of any prize being awarded will generally be reduced. There are known techniques for altering the odds. A decrease in the chances of a win is unlikely to be known to the player or, if it is, the perceived chance of a greater prize can be expected to outweigh the knowledge that the chances of gaining it are less.

The playing characteristics could be altered in the reverse manner so that, when the card is inserted, the probability of a win is increased while the value of some of or all the prizes is reduced. But it is thought that this will probably be less appealing.

The portable storage device or card will normally record stake money and prize money in separate accounts. The transfer from the prize money account to the stake account may be enabled by alteration of the degree of insertion of the card. For example, it may be partially withdrawn from its playing position or more fully inserted from that position. It would then be restored to its pre-altered insertion position on completion of the transfer.

In more detail, when the card having a credit value is used to initiate play, and there is no win, the cash balance recorded on it in the stake account will be decremented by an amount corresponding to the stake (e.g.

20p). This may happen as the play is initiated, or immediately it finishes. But if the card is used and a win is achieved, the cash value of that win is recorded on the card in the separate prize account.

Under current law, winnings cannot be assigned straight to funds for playing the machine; they have to be taken out first. To comply with this, in one embodiment, when a player wants to use any winnings to enable him to have further plays, the card is ejected, for example by the player pressing a button. This may be only partial, leaving the card largely exposed but still held by the mouth of its slot. Then the player presses the card in again. This ejection/re-insertion causes the prize account to be transferred to the stake account, thus enabling the player to continue to use the machine.

In an alternative form, the card will have two stages of insertion. There will be a first, partial stage where its presence will be registered by the machine, which will alter the playing characteristics accordingly. The machine is then played with the card in this position. The second stage will be full insertion, which happens when a win is achieved. Although it could be automated, it may be preferred to have this player-implemented, the player pushing in the card fully when he sees a win signalled. The value of the win is then recorded on the card, which will then be partially ejected back to the semi-inserted position of the first stage.

It can be arranged that the machine is otherwise immobilized until a win is so registered, although if a player fails to cause the card to be ejected or to press the card to full insertion, as the case may be, within a given time the machine may instead pay out cash. Preferably that would be of a lesser value than would have been be credited to the card.

These cards do not eliminate cash entirely, and it will generally be preferred that, initially, cards are issued to prospective players carrying no credit at all.

They are thus valueless and not a security risk if stolen.

A player must therefore start a playing sequence using cash, although with a card inserted if he wishes wins to be recorded on it rather than to have cash pay-outs.

A player may extract his card at any time and cash in any credit recorded on it. This would normally be done at a supervisory desk.

Claims

1. A gaming or amusement with prizes machine adapted to operate both by the insertion of coins and by the insertion of a portable storage device, the machine having means for recording and reading information representing a cash balance on that device, wherein insertion of the device causes the playing characteristics of the machine to be altered as compared with the playing characteristics when coins are used.

2. A gaming or amusement with prizes machine as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the portable storage device is in the form of a card.

3. A gaming or amusement with prizes machine as claimed in Claims 1 or 2, wherein the alteration of the playing characteristics is a change in the value of at least one prize.

4. A gaming or amusement with prizes machine as claimed in Claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the alteration of the playing characteristics is a change in the probability of a win.

5. A gaming or amusement with prizes machine as claimed in Claims 3 and 4, wherein the alteration of the playing characteristics is an increase in the value of at least one prize coupled with the reduction of the probability of a win.

6. A gaming or amusement with prizes machine as claimed in Claims 3 and 4, wherein the alteration of the playing characteristics is a decrease in the value of at least one prize coupled with an increase in the probability of a win.

7. A gaming or amusement with prizes machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the portable storage device records stake money and prize money in separate accounts.

8. A gaming or amusement with prizes machine as claimed in Claim 7, wherein transfer from the prize money account to the stake account is enabled by alteration of the degree of insertion of the portable storage device.

9. A gaming or amusement with prizes machine as claimed in Claim 8, wherein said transfer is enabled by at least partial withdrawal of the portable storage device from its position for playing the machine.

10. A gaming or amusement with prizes machine as claimed in Claim 8, wherein said transfer is enabled by fuller insertion of the portable storage device from its position for playing the machine.

11. A gaming or amusement with prizes machine as claimed in Claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the portable storage device is restored to its pre-altered insertion position on completion of said transfer.

12. A gaming or amusement with prizes machine as claimed in any one of Claims 7 to 11, wherein the degree of insertion is altered by the machine itself.

13. A gaming or amusement with prizes machine as claimed in any one of Claims 7 to 11, wherein the degree of insertion is altered by the player responding to a signal of a win.

14. A gaming or amuusement with prizes machine as claimed in Claim 13, wherein failure of the player to respond within a given time causes the machine to pay the win in cash rather than credit the portable storage device.

15. A gaming or amusement with prizes machine as claimed in Claim 14, wherein the cash win paid on such failure is less than would have been credited on the portable storage device.

16. A gaming or amusement with prizes machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a newly issued card has zero cash balance and a positive balance is achievable only by first playing and winning on the machine using coins.