Adjustable playing area for electronic gaming terminal

1. A gaming terminal comprising:

a gaming cabinet;

at least one display mounted to the gaming cabinet and being configured to display a randomly selected outcome from a wagering game, the randomly selected outcome being selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to receiving a wager input from a player;

an adjustable playing area mounted to the gaming cabinet below the at least one display, the adjustable playing area being operable to translate linearly between a proximal position and a distal position, the proximal position being near the gaming cabinet and the distal position being away from the gaming cabinet; and

a player-input button mounted in the adjustable playing area for receiving game play input from the player.

2. The gaming terminal of claim 1 , wherein the player-input button is one or more of a play button, a programmable button configured to display content associated with the wagering game, or any combination thereof.

3. The gaming terminal of claim 1 , further comprising one or more additional player-input buttons mounted in the adjustable playing area.

4. The gaming terminal of claim 1 , further comprising a switch operatively coupled to the adjustable playing area, the switch deactivating the player-input button when the adjustable playing area is in the proximal position.

5. The gaming terminal of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable playing area has a plurality of extended positions located between the proximal position and the distal position.

6. The gaming terminal of claim 5 , further comprising a mechanical mechanism configured to automatically retract the adjustable playing area from one of the plurality of extended positions to the proximal position after the gaming machine is idle for a predetermined period of time.

7. The gaming terminal of claim 6 , further comprising a mechanical damper coupled to the adjustable playing area.

8. The gaming terminal of claim 1 , further comprising a rail system mounted to the adjustable playing area and to the gaming cabinet for facilitating the linear translation of the adjustable playing area.

9. The gaming terminal of claim 8 , wherein the adjustable playing area includes a release button for releasing the adjustable playing area from a secured position.

10. The gaming terminal of claim 8 , further comprising a soft pad covering that surrounds at least a portion of an outer surface of the adjustable playing area.

11. The gaming terminal of claim 10 , wherein the player-input button is positioned such that a top surface of the player-input button is generally flush with a top surface of the pad covering.

12. The gaming terminal of claim 10 , wherein the player-input button is positioned such that a top surface of the player-input button is generally below a top surface of the pad covering.

13. A gaming machine comprising:

at least one display mounted to a gaming cabinet and being configured to display a randomly selected outcome from a wagering game, the randomly selected outcome being selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to receiving a wager input from a player;

an adjustable playing area having a pad covering, the adjustable playing area being mounted to the gaming cabinet below the display, the adjustable playing area being operable to horizontally translate between a proximal position and a distal position, the proximal position being near the gaming cabinet and the distal position being away from the gaming cabinet; and

a moveable player-input button mounted in the adjustable playing area for receiving game play input from the player, the moveable player-input button having a top surface generally flush with or below a top surface of the pad covering.

14. The gaming machine of claim 13 , further comprising a switch operatively coupled to the adjustable playing area, the switch deactivating the moveable player-input button when the adjustable playing area is in the proximal position.

15. The gaming machine of claim 13 , wherein the adjustable playing area includes a main body and a rail system, the rail system being mounted to the main body and to the gaming cabinet, the moveable player-input being mounted in the main body of the adjustable playing area.

16. The gaming machine of claim 15 , further comprising a mechanical mechanism coupled to the main body, the mechanical mechanism configured to automatically retract the adjustable playing area from one of a plurality of extended positions to the proximal position after the occurrence of a gaming event.

17. A gaming terminal comprising:

an adjustable playing area mounted to a gaming cabinet, the adjustable playing area being operable to translate linearly from a proximal position to one of a plurality of extended positions, the proximal position being near the gaming cabinet and each of the plurality of extended positions being away from the gaming cabinet; and

at least one display mounted to the gaming cabinet above the adjustable playing area and being configured to display a randomly selected outcome from a wagering game, the randomly selected outcome being selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to receiving a wager input from a player, the at least one display being configured to automatically adjust relative to a home position when the player manually adjusts the adjustable playing area.

18. The gaming terminal of claim 17 , wherein the at least one display is configured to automatically return to the home position upon the occurrence of a gaming event.

19. The gaming terminal of claim 17 , wherein automatic adjustment of the display includes one or more of a rotational adjustment and a translational adjustment.

20. The gaming terminal of claim 17 , wherein the at least one display is configured to tilt to adjust a viewing angle.

21. A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming terminal, the method comprising:

receiving a wager input from a player;

allowing the player to select one or more player-selectable options for configuring the wagering game via one or more player-input devices;

translating an adjustable playing area in a linear direction from a proximal position toward a distal position, the proximal position being near a gaming cabinet of the gaming terminal and the distal position being farther from the gaming cabinet, the adjustable playing area having at least one player-input button distinct from the one or more player-input devices, the player-input button being fixed relative to the adjustable playing area.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the player-selectable options include one or more of a payline selection and a wager selection.

23. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

displaying an initial randomly selected outcome in accordance with selections made via the one or more player-input devices;

actuating the at least one player-input button to provide game play input; and

in response to the actuating, displaying a subsequent randomly selected outcome in accordance with input received solely from the at least one player-input button.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the subsequent randomly selected outcome is based on the same selections made via the one or more player-input devices.

25. A method of adjusting an adjustable playing area of a gaming machine, the adjustable playing area including a player-input button, the method comprising:

receiving a wager input from a player;

in response to receiving the wager input, displaying a randomly selected outcome selected from a plurality of outcomes;

activating a release button to disengage a locking mechanism;

sliding the adjustable playing area along a rail system from a proximal position to one of a plurality of extended positions, the proximal position being located near a gaming cabinet of the gaming machine and the extended positions being farther from the gaming cabinet;

automatically engaging the locking mechanism to secure the adjustable playing area at one of the plurality of extended positions; and

automatically retracting the adjustable playing area to the proximal position after the occurrence of a predetermined event.

26. The method of claim 25 , further comprising automatically deactivating the player-input button when the adjustable playing area is in the proximal position.