Network computer system and methods for use in operating casino patron loyalty programs

1 . A networked computer system, comprising:

a plurality of player tracking servers located at different casino properties, each player tracking server coupled to a corresponding plurality of electronic gaming machines (EGMs) located at a corresponding casino property and configured to monitor patron activity at the corresponding plurality of EGMs, each EGM including a display device including a graphical user interface (GUI) touchscreen display displaying computer-generated images thereon; and

a promotions management computer server including one or more processors coupled to the plurality of player tracking servers;

wherein each player tracking server includes one or more processors programmed to execute a charm selection algorithm including the steps of:

receiving a gaming request signal from a corresponding EGM indicating a request from a patron to initiate a gaming session at the corresponding EGM, the gaming request signal including a patron ID associated with the patron and a device ID associated with the corresponding gaming device;

transmitting computer-executable instructions to the corresponding gaming device to render a gaming charm selection screen on a corresponding GUI touchscreen display of the corresponding EGM prompting the patron to select a gaming charm to associate with the gaming session;

receiving a patron selected gaming charm via the corresponding GUI touchscreen display and responsively modifying the game screen to display an image of the patron selected gaming charm; and

transmitting a session message to the promotions management computer server including a session ID, the patron ID, the device ID, and a charm ID associated with the patron selected gaming charm; and

wherein the promotions management computer server executes an award notification algorithm to simultaneously display an animated sequence of computer-generated images on selected EGMs including the steps of:

receiving the session message from a corresponding player tracking server and generating an escrowed award record written in JSON programming language stored in an award escrow data file and including the session ID, the patron ID, the device ID, the identified charm ID, and a notification program file including an award notification message and a routing code including the device ID for routing the award notification message to the corresponding EGM; and

simultaneously displaying a computer-generated animated prize notification on selected EGMs by:

detecting a triggering event and responsively randomly selecting a promotional award charm ID from a charm data file including a plurality of charm IDs;

accessing the award escrow data file and identifying escrowed award records having charm IDs matching the selected promotional award charm ID;

identifying EGMs having device IDs associated with the identified escrowed award records;

querying notification program files associated with the identified escrowed award records; and

routing the queried notification program files to each player tracking server to cause each player tracking server to distribute the queried notification program files to each identified EGM including the award notification message having computer executable instructions to cause each identified EGM to simultaneously display the computer-generated animated prize notification.

2 . The networked computer system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors of the promotions management computer server is programmed to execute the award notification algorithm including the steps of:

generating each escrowed award record including a qualification status indicator indicating at least one of a qualified status and an unqualified status; and

simultaneously displaying a computer-generated animated prize notification on selected EGMs by:

accessing the award escrow data file and identifying escrowed award records having charm IDs matching the selected promotional award charm ID and having qualification status indicators indicating the qualified status.

3 . The networked computer system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more processors of the promotions management computer server is programmed to execute the award notification algorithm including the steps of:

receiving patron activity data associated with the session ID from the corresponding player tracking server indicating corresponding patron activity;

determining whether the patron activity data indicates a qualifying promotional event; and

upon determining the patron activity data indicates a qualifying promotional event:

selecting a promotional award; and

modifying the escrowed award record associated with the session ID to include the selected promotional award, corresponding award fulfilment instructions including the selected promotional award, and a corresponding qualification status indicator indicating a qualified status.

4 . The networked computer system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more processors of the promotions management computer server is programmed to execute the award notification algorithm including the steps of:

receiving a subsequent activity signal from the corresponding player tracking server indicating a disqualifying event associated with the patron ID; and

modifying the escrowed award record associated with the patron ID to change the qualification status indicator to indicate an unqualified status.

5 . The networked computer system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more processors of the promotions management computer server is programmed to execute the award notification algorithm including the steps of:

identifying a patron ranking level associated with the corresponding patron ID; and

selecting the promotional award based on the identified patron ranking level.

6 . The networked computer system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more processors of the promotions management computer server is programmed to execute the award notification algorithm including the steps of:

selecting the promotional award from a plurality of tiered groups of promotional awards associated with the identified patron ranking level.

7 . A method of operating a networked computer system including a plurality of player tracking servers located at different casino properties and a promotions management computer server including one or more processors coupled to the plurality of player tracking servers, each player tracking server including one or more processors coupled to a corresponding plurality of electronic gaming machines (EGMs) located at a corresponding casino property and configured to monitor patron activity at the corresponding plurality of EGMs, each EGM including a display device including a graphical user interface (GUI) touchscreen display displaying computer-generated images thereon, the method including:

the one or more processors of each player tracking server executing a charm selection algorithm including the steps of:

receiving a gaming request signal from a corresponding EGM indicating a request from a patron to initiate a gaming session at the corresponding EGM, the gaming request signal including a patron ID associated with the patron and a device ID associated with the corresponding gaming device;

transmitting computer-executable instructions to the corresponding gaming device to render a gaming charm selection screen on a corresponding GUI touchscreen display of the corresponding EGM prompting the patron to select a gaming charm to associate with the gaming session;

receiving a patron selected gaming charm via the corresponding GUI touchscreen display and responsively modifying the game screen to display an image of the patron selected gaming charm; and

transmitting a session message to the promotions management computer server including a session ID, the patron ID, the device ID, and a charm ID associated with the patron selected gaming charm; and

the one or more processors of the promotions management computer server executing an award notification algorithm to simultaneously display an animated sequence of computer-generated images on selected EGMs including the steps of:

receiving the session message from a corresponding player tracking server and generating an escrowed award record written in JSON programming language stored in an award escrow data file and including the session ID, the patron ID, the device ID, the identified charm ID, and a notification program file including an award notification message and a routing code including the device ID for routing the award notification message to the corresponding EGM; and

simultaneously displaying a computer-generated animated prize notification on selected EGMs by:

detecting a triggering event and responsively randomly selecting a promotional award charm ID from a charm data file including a plurality of charm IDs;

accessing the award escrow data file and identifying escrowed award records having charm IDs matching the selected promotional award charm ID;

identifying EGMs having device IDs associated with the identified escrowed award records;

querying notification program files associated with the identified escrowed award records; and

routing the queried notification program files to each player tracking server to cause each player tracking server to distribute the queried notification program files to each identified EGM including the award notification message having computer executable instructions to cause each identified EGM to simultaneously display the computer-generated animated prize notification.

8 . The method of claim 7 , including the one or more processors of the promotions management computer server executing the award notification algorithm including the steps of:

generating each escrowed award record including a qualification status indicator indicating at least one of a qualified status and an unqualified status; and

simultaneously displaying a computer-generated animated prize notification on selected EGMs by:

accessing the award escrow data file and identifying escrowed award records having charm IDs matching the selected promotional award charm ID and having qualification status indicators indicating the qualified status.

9 . The method of claim 8 , including the one or more processors of the promotions management computer server executing the award notification algorithm including the steps of:

receiving patron activity data associated with the session ID from the player tracking server indicating corresponding patron activity;

determining whether the patron activity data indicates a qualifying promotional event; and

upon determining the patron activity data indicates a qualifying promotional event:

selecting a promotional award; and

modifying the escrowed award record associated with the session ID to include the selected promotional award, corresponding award fulfilment instructions including the selected promotional award, and a corresponding qualification status indicator indicating a qualified status.

10 . The method of claim 9 , including the one or more processors of the promotions management computer server executing the award notification algorithm including the steps of:

receiving a subsequent activity signal from the player tracking server indicating a disqualifying event associated with the patron ID; and

modifying the escrowed award record associated with the patron ID to change the qualification status indicator to indicate an unqualified status.

11 . The method of claim 9 , including the one or more processors of the promotions management computer server executing the award notification algorithm including the steps of:

identifying a patron ranking level associated with the corresponding patron ID; and

selecting the promotional award based on the identified patron ranking level.

12 . The method of claim 11 , including the one or more processors of the promotions management computer server executing the award notification algorithm including the steps of:

selecting the promotional award from a plurality of tiered groups of promotional awards associated with the identified patron ranking level.

13 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon to operate a networked computer system including a plurality of player tracking servers located at different casino properties and a promotions management computer server including one or more processors coupled to the plurality of player tracking servers, each player tracking server including one or more processors coupled to a corresponding plurality of electronic gaming machines (EGMs) located at a corresponding casino property and configured to monitor patron activity at the corresponding plurality of EGMs, each EGM including a display device including a graphical user interface (GUI) touchscreen display displaying computer-generated images thereon, when executed the computer-executable instructions cause:

the one or more processors of each player tracking server to execute a charm selection algorithm including the steps of:

receiving a gaming request signal from a corresponding EGM indicating a request from a patron to initiate a gaming session at the corresponding EGM, the gaming request signal including a patron ID associated with the patron and a device ID associated with the corresponding gaming device;

transmitting computer-executable instructions to the corresponding gaming device to render a gaming charm selection screen on a corresponding GUI touchscreen display of the corresponding EGM prompting the patron to select a gaming charm to associate with the gaming session;

receiving a patron selected gaming charm via the corresponding GUI touchscreen display and responsively modifying the game screen to display an image of the patron selected gaming charm; and

transmitting a session message to the promotions management computer server including a session ID, the patron ID, the device ID, and a charm ID associated with the patron selected gaming charm; and

the one or more processors of the promotions management computer server to execute an award notification algorithm to simultaneously display an animated sequence of computer-generated images on selected EGMs including the steps of:

receiving the session message from a corresponding player tracking server and generating an escrowed award record written in JSON programming language stored in an award escrow data file and including the session ID, the patron ID, the device ID, the identified charm ID, and a notification program file including an award notification message and a routing code including the device ID for routing the award notification message to the corresponding EGM; and

simultaneously displaying a computer-generated animated prize notification on selected EGMs by:

detecting a triggering event and responsively randomly selecting a promotional award charm ID from a charm data file including a plurality of charm IDs;

accessing the award escrow data file and identifying escrowed award records having charm IDs matching the selected promotional award charm ID;

identifying EGMs having device IDs associated with the identified escrowed award records;

querying notification program files associated with the identified escrowed award records; and

routing the queried notification program files to each player tracking server to cause each player tracking server to distribute the queried notification program files to each identified EGM including the award notification message having computer executable instructions to cause each identified EGM to simultaneously display the computer-generated animated prize notification.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 13 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the one or more processors of the promotions management computer server to execute the award notification algorithm including the steps of:

generating each escrowed award record including a qualification status indicator indicating at least one of a qualified status and an unqualified status; and

simultaneously displaying a computer-generated animated prize notification on selected EGMs by:

accessing the award escrow data file and identifying escrowed award records having charm IDs matching the selected promotional award charm ID and having qualification status indicators indicating the qualified status.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 14 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the one or more processors of the promotions management computer server to execute the award notification algorithm including the steps of:

receiving patron activity data associated with the session ID from the player tracking server indicating corresponding patron activity;

determining whether the patron activity data indicates a qualifying promotional event; and

upon determining the patron activity data indicates a qualifying promotional event:

selecting a promotional award; and

modifying the escrowed award record associated with the session ID to include the selected promotional award, corresponding award fulfilment instructions including the selected promotional award, and a corresponding qualification status indicator indicating a qualified status.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the one or more processors of the promotions management computer server to execute the award notification algorithm including the steps of:

receiving a subsequent activity signal from the player tracking server indicating a disqualifying event associated with the patron ID; and

modifying the escrowed award record associated with the patron ID to change the qualification status indicator to indicate an unqualified status.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the one or more processors of the promotions management computer server to execute the award notification algorithm including the steps of:

identifying a patron ranking level associated with the corresponding patron ID; and

selecting the promotional award based on the identified patron ranking level.