Gaming systems and apparatus for detecting a signal indicative of a problem gambler and dispatching an event in response thereto

1. A gaming device for facilitating a wagering game, comprising:

a display device for displaying game information to a player;

an input device usable by the player to provide an input to the gaming device;

a processor operable to facilitate a wagering game; and

a memory storing a program for directing the processor,

wherein the processor and the program are operable together to:

detect a repeated input provided by the player via the input device, wherein the repeated input comprises a repeated attempt by the player to actuate the input device during an inactive state of the input device;

determine, based on a stored rule which defines a repeated attempt by a player to actuate the input device during an inactive state of the input device as a characteristic of a problem gambler, that the repeated input is an indication that the player may require attention as a problem gambler; and

transmit a signal to a server device, the signal indicating the repeated input from the player.

2. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein the gaming device comprises a slot machine and the input device comprises a reel starting mechanism, and further

wherein the processor and the program being operable together to determine that the player has repeatedly attempted to actuate the input device during an inactive state of the input device comprises

the processor and the program being operable together to determine that the player has repeatedly attempted to actuate the reel starting mechanism at a time when the reels are still spinning from a current game play.

3. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein the gaming device comprises a slot machine and the input device comprises a payline selection mechanism, and further

wherein the processor and the program being operable together to determine that the player has repeatedly attempted to actuate the input device during an inactive state of the input device comprises

the processor and the program being operable together to determine that the player has repeatedly attempted to select a payline for which the player is ineligible due to an insufficient credit balance.

4. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein the gaming device comprises a slot machine and the input device comprises a wager amount selection mechanism, and further

wherein the processor and the program being operable together to determine that the player has repeatedly attempted to actuate the input device during an inactive state of the input device comprises

the processor and the program being operable together to determine that the player has repeatedly attempted to select a wager amount which the player is ineligible to wager due to an insufficient credit balance.

5. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein the program and the processor are together further operable to perform at least one of the following, based on the determination that the player may require attention as a problem gambler:

interrupt play of the gaming device by the player; and

output a message to the player, the message being targeted towards curbing the player's gambling behavior.

6. A gaming system, comprising:

a gaining device having a display device for displaying game information to a player and an input device operable to receive an input from the player to the gaming device; and

a server device in communication with the gaming device, wherein

the gaming device is operable to

detect that a player has provided a repeated input to the gaming device using the input device, wherein the repeated input comprises a repeated attempt by the player to actuate the input device during an inactive state of the input device; and

transmit an indication of the repeated input to the server device; and

further wherein the server device is operable to:

determine, based on the repeated input and based on a stored rule which defines a repeated attempt by a player to actuate the input device during an inactive state of the input device as a characteristic of a problem gambler, that the player may require attention as a problem gambler; and

dispatch an event in response to the determination.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the server device being operable to dispatch an event comprises the server device being operable to transmit an instruction to a casino employee to approach the player.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the server device being operable to dispatch an event comprises the server device being operable to create a record in a database, the record indicating that the player may require attention as a problem gambler.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the server device being operable to dispatch an event comprises the server device being operable to determine a score that corresponds to the indication.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the server device being operable to dispatch an event comprises the server device being operable to direct a video camera to focus on the player.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the server device being operable to dispatch an event comprises the server device being operable to output a message to the player, the message targeted at curbing the player's gambling behavior.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein the server device being operable to dispatch an event comprises the server device being operable to interrupt play of the gaming device by the player.

13. A server operable to facilitate a wagering establishment, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing a program for directing the processor,

wherein the processor and the program are operable together to:

receive an indication from a gaming device, the indication indicative of a repeated input provided by a player to the gaming device, wherein the repeated input comprises a repeated attempt by the player to actuate feature of the gaining device during an inactive state of the feature;

determine, based on the indication and based on a stored rule which defines a repeated attempt by a player to actuate the feature during an inactive state of the feature as a characteristic of a problem gambler, that the player may require attention as a problem gambler; and

dispatch an event in response to the determination.

14. The server of claim 13 , wherein dispatching the event comprises at least one of:

transmitting an instruction to a casino employee to approach the player;

creating a record in a database, the record storing an indication that the player may be a problem gambler;

scoring the indication;

directing a video camera to focus on the player;

outputting a message to the player, the message targeted at curbing the gambling behavior of the player; and

interrupting play of the gaming device by the player.