Gaming system having large display and plural gaming machines

1. A gaming system, comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, each including an image display and an input device for input and being capable of executing an independent game;

a control device;

a single pedestal including said control device therein, and an upper surface for installing said plurality of gaming machines thereon;

a common image display being supported at a position above the upper surfaces of said gaming machines;

a supporting member including a first end and a second end, said supporting member being provided such that the first end of the supporting member is supported by said pedestal and the second end of the supporting member supports said common image display;

a flow channel included in said supporting member that communicates with openings provided at respective ends of said supporting member so as to allow external air flowed into said pedestal to be ejected through said common image display, said flow channel being longer than the height of the gaming machine; and

communication cables for communication between said plurality of gaming machines and said control device;

wherein

said control device comprises a processor, and

said processor is programmed to execute the processing of

(A) executing a normal game independently in the respective gaming machines connected through said communication cables,

(B) determining whether or not to execute a common game which is simultaneously executed in all the gaming machines connected through said communication cables,

(C) determining for each of the gaming machines whether or not a normal game in execution has ended, when determining in said processing (B) that a common game is to be executed,

(D) canceling, when determining in said processing (C) that the normal game in execution has ended in any of the gaming machines, start of a new normal game in this gaming machine,

(E) determining whether or not the normal game in execution has ended in all the gaming machines connected through said communication cables,

(F) executing a common game in all the gaming machines connected through said communication cables, when determining in said processing (E) that the normal game in execution has ended in all the gaming machines, and

(G) displaying to said common image display a game image of the common game executed in said processing (F).

2. A gaming system, comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, each including an image display and an input device for input and being capable of executing an independent game;

a control device;

a single pedestal including said control device therein, and an upper surface for installing said plurality of gaming machines thereon;

a common image display being supported at a position above the upper surfaces of said gaming machines;

a supporting member including a first end and a second end, said supporting member being provided such that the first end of the supporting member is supported by said pedestal and the second end of the supporting member supports said common image display;

a flow channel included in said supporting member that communicates with openings provided at respective ends of said supporting member so as to allow external air flowed into said pedestal to be ejected through said common image display, said flow channel being longer than the height of the gaming machine; and

communication cables for communication between said plurality of gaming machines and said control device;

wherein

each of said gaming machines comprises a controller, and

said control device includes a processor,

said controller programmed to execute the processing of

(a) executing a normal game independently, said processor programmed to execute the processing of

(A) determining whether or not to execute a common game which is simultaneously executed in all the gaming machines connected through said communication cables, and

(B) transmitting a game cancel signal to all the gaming machines connected through said communication cables, when determining in said processing (A) that a common game is to be executed,

said controller programmed to execute the processing of

(b) determining whether or not the game cancel signal has been received from said control device through said communication cable,

(c) canceling start of a new normal game, when determining in said processing (b) that the game cancel signal has been received, and

(d) transmitting a normal-game-ended signal to said control device through said communication cable, after having executed said processing (c),

said processor programmed to execute the processing of

(C) determining through said communication cables whether or not said normal-game-ended signal has been received from all the gaming machines connected through the communication cables,

(D) executing a common game when determining in said processing (C) that said normal-game-ended signal has been received, and

(E) displaying to said common image display a game image of the common game executed in said processing (D).

3. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, each including an image display and an input device for input and being capable of executing an independent game;

a control device including a processor;

a single pedestal including a housing space that houses said control device therein, a hollow space provided with an opening which communicates with external air and an opening for passage, a bottom surface portion for installing the pedestal on a floor surface, and an installation surface for installing said plurality of gaming machines at positions facing to said bottom surface portion;

a supporting member having a flow channel therein that communicates with openings provided at respective ends of said supporting member and is longer than the height of the gaming machine, said supporting member being provided such that a first end of the supporting member is supported by said pedestal and a second end of the supporting member is oriented upwardly so as to allow said flow channel to communicate through the opening at one end and the opening for passage with said hollow space included in said pedestal;

a common image display having an internal space inside thereof; having an opening communicated with external air at an upper portion of said internal space; being supported at a position above the upper surfaces of said gaming machines by said second end side of said supporting member so as to allow said internal space to communicate with said flow channel included in said supporting member through the opening provided on said second end side of said supporting member; including a screen with a larger size than that of said image display; and being controlled by said control device; and

communication cables for communication between said plurality of gaming machines and said control device;

wherein the processor is programmed to execute the processing of

(A) executing a normal game independently in the respective gaming machines connected through said communication cables,

(B) determining whether or not to execute a common game which is simultaneously executed in all the gaming machines connected through said communication cables,

(C) determining for each of the gaming machines whether or not a normal game in execution has ended, when determining in said processing (B) that a common game is to be executed,

(D) canceling, when determining in said processing (C) that the normal game in execution has ended in any of the gaming machines, start of a new normal game in this gaming machine,

(E) determining whether or not the normal game in execution has ended in all the gaming machines connected through said communication cables,

(F) executing a common game in all the gaming machines connected through said communication cables, when determining in said processing (E) that the normal game in execution has ended in all the gaming machines, and

(G) displaying to said common image display a game image of the common game executed in said processing (F).

4. The gaming system according to claim 3 , wherein

a surface area of said first end of the supporting member is less than an upper surface area of the hollow space included in said pedestal, and

a control board included in said common image display having an internal space inside thereof is positioned near the opening provided on said second end side of said supporting member.