PEER-TO-PEER DISTRIBUTED GAMING APPLICATION NETWORK

1 . A method performed by a gaming terminal, the method comprising:

receiving, from a server, an indication that a plurality of gaming terminals will participate in a shared gaming session, wherein the server is not configured to operate as a gaming terminal, and wherein the server is configured to establish a virtual communication network to enable the plurality of gaming terminals to participate in the shared gaming session;

serving the shared gaming session to the plurality of gaming terminals; and

determining an outcome of the shared gaming session, wherein the server is not configured to determine an outcome of the shared gaming session.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting a session initiation signal to initiate the shared gaming session.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein before the receiving of the indication, the server has determined whether each of the plurality of gaming terminals is eligible to participate in the shared gaming session.

4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an indication that one of the plurality of gaming terminals is serving another shared gaming session; and

transmitting an add signal to the server, the add signal associated with the other shared gaming session; and

participating in the other shared gaming session.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the shared gaming session is triggered based on events selected from the group consisting of input from players of the plurality of gaming terminals, a player entering a bonus round on one of the plurality of gaming terminals, and players from the plurality of gaming terminals forming a team.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of players are associated with the plurality of gaming terminals, and wherein the shared gaming session enables at least one of the plurality of players to wager on a shared gaming session outcome associated with another of the plurality of players.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of players are associated with the plurality of gaming terminals, and wherein the shared gaming session enables some of the players to compete or collaborate with others of the players, and wherein selections made by the players determine an outcome of the shared gaming session.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein during the shared gaming session, shared gaming session data is transmitted between ones of the plurality of gaming terminals via the virtual communication network.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of gaming terminals presents an option to participate in the shared gaming session or to play an non-shared game offered at the one of the plurality of gaming terminals.

10 . A machine-readable medium including instructions to be executed by a gaming terminal, the instructions comprising:

instructions to receive, from a server, an indication that a plurality of gaming terminals will participate in a shared gaming session, wherein the server is not configured to operate as a gaming terminal, and wherein the server is configured to establish a virtual communication network to enable the plurality of gaming terminals to participate in the shared gaming session;

instructions to serve the shared gaming session to the plurality of gaming terminals; and

instructions to determine an outcome of the shared gaming session, wherein the server is not configured to determine an outcome of the shared gaming session.

11 . The machine-readable medium of claim 10 , the instructions further comprising:

instructions to transmit a session initiation signal to initiate the shared gaming session.

12 . The machine-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein before the receipt of the indication, the server to have determined whether each of the plurality of gaming terminals is eligible to participate in the shared gaming session.

13 . The machine-readable medium of claim 10 , the instructions further comprising:

instructions to receive an indication that one of the plurality of gaming terminals is serving another shared gaming session;

instructions to transmit an add signal to the server, the add signal associated with the other shared gaming session; and

instructions to participate in the other shared gaming session.

14 . A gaming terminal comprising:

a first gaming network interface communicatively coupled to a server, wherein the server is not configured to operate as a gaming terminal, the first gaming network interface configured to receive an association matrix from the server, the association matrix to indicate a plurality of gaming terminals to participate in a shared gaming session, the first gaming network interface further configured to receive updates to the association matrix from the server, wherein the updates reflect changes to the plurality of gaming terminals, the first gaming network interface further configured to request initiation of the shared gaming session;

a second gaming network interface communicatively coupled to the plurality of gaming terminals, the second network interface configured to exchange application messages with the plurality of gaming terminals, the application messages associated with the shared gaming session; and

a CPU configured to store the association matrix and to determine an outcome of the shared gaming session, wherein the server is not configured to determine an outcome of the shared gaming session.

15 . The gaming terminal of claim 14 , the first gaming network interface further configured to, after the determination of the outcome of the shared gaming session, transmit to the server a session log associated with the shared gaming session.

16 . The gaming terminal of claim 14 , the first gaming network interface further configured to, after the determination of the outcome of the shared gaming session, transmit to the server a session termination signal associated with the shared gaming session.

17 . The gaming terminal of claim 14 , wherein the server is configured to debit or credit, based on the outcome of the shared gaming session, accounts associated with players at the plurality of gaming terminals.

18 . The gaming terminal of claim 14 , wherein the application messages include information selected from the group consisting of direct wagers, side wagers, competitive play information, and collaborative play information.

19 . The gaming terminal of claim 14 , wherein the gaming terminal and the plurality of gaming terminals are members of a peer-to-peer network.