SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VALIDATING TRANSACTION ACTIVITY WITH AT LEAST ONE SESSION IDENTIFIER

1 . A system for validating transaction activity a user may perform on a website in which the user has engaged in an initial interactive session, the system comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor configured to:

(a) receive, from the website, initial information identifying the user and information that the user is engaging in the initial interactive session with the website; and

(b) after receiving the initial information:

(1) validate one or more transaction activities the user can engage in during an interactive session with the website;

(2) issue a session identifier that is associated with the one or more validated transaction activities, the website, and the initial interactive session with the website; and

(3) store the session identifier along with the information identifying the user, the website, and the initial interactive session in the memory.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the validation of one or more transaction activities is valid for only the initial interactive session.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more transaction activities comprise a plurality of transaction activities.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the session identifier comprises a listing of the plurality of validated transaction activities, the listing being automatically transmitted to the website upon issuance of the session identifier.

5 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

(a) receive information indicating the user wants to perform a first transaction activity while engaged in the interactive session with the website; and

(b) after receiving the information indicating the user wants to perform the first transaction activity:

(1) determine a first result indicating whether the first transaction activity is included in the plurality of validated transaction activities associated with the session identifier; and

(2) after determining the first result:

(a) inform the website of the first result; and

(b) associate information indicating the first transaction activity with the session identifier; and

(c) receive information indicating the user wants to perform one or more subsequent transaction activities while engaged in the interactive session with the website;

(d) after receiving the information indicating the user wants to perform the one or more subsequent transaction activities, determine a subsequent result for each one of the one or more subsequent transaction activities indicating whether the subsequent transaction activity is included in the plurality of validated transaction activities associated with the session identifier; and

(e) after determining the subsequent result:

(1) inform the website of the subsequent result; and

(2) store information indicating the subsequent transaction activity with the session identifier, as long as the user remains engaged in the interactive session with the website.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the first result and the subsequent results are used for generation of tax payments due to various jurisdictions based on the first transaction activity and the subsequent transaction activities and for tax reporting to the user and the various jurisdictions.

7 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

(a) receive, from the website, subsequent information identifying the user after the user initiates a subsequent interactive session with the website;

(b) after receiving the information:

(1) issue a second session identifier that is associated with the user, the website, and the subsequent interactive session with the website; and

(2) store the second session identifier along with the information identifying the user, the website, and the subsequent interactive session in the memory;

(c) receive information indicating the user wants to perform a first transaction activity while engaged in the subsequent interactive session with the website; and

(d) after receiving the information indicating the user wants to perform the first transaction activity:

(1) determine a first result indicating whether the first transaction activity is included in the plurality of validated transaction activities associated with the second session identifier; and

(2) after determining the first result:

(a) inform the website of the first result; and

(b) associate information indicating the first transaction activity with the second session identifier,

(e) receive information indicating the user wants to perform one or more subsequent transaction activities while engaged in the subsequent interactive session with the website;

(f) after receiving the information indicating the user wants to perform the one or more subsequent transaction activities, determine a subsequent result for each one of the one or more subsequent transaction activities indicating whether the subsequent transaction activity is included in the plurality of validated transaction activities associated with the second session identifier; and

(g) after determining the subsequent result:

(1) inform the website of the subsequent result; and

(2) store information indicating the subsequent transaction activity with the second session identifier, as long as the user remains engaged in the subsequent interactive session with the website.

8 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the user is a player, the website is a gambling website, and the plurality of transaction activities comprises one or more gambling activities on the gambling website.

9 . The system of claim 3 , wherein validating the plurality of transaction activities the user can engage in during the interactive session with the website involves the at least one processor being configured to:

receive an IP address of a computing device the user is using to engage in the interactive session with the operator website;

send the IP address to a location check system;

obtain a location of the computing device from the location check system; and

determine with reasonable assurance whether the user is in a jurisdiction in which the user is allowed to engage in the plurality of transaction activities based on the location.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the location check system is selected from a group consisting of: a geo-IP check system, a registration correlation system, a mobile locator system, a wireless locator system, a latency analysis system, and any of a variety of combinations of one or more of such systems.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein after determining the user is not in a jurisdiction in which the user is allowed to engage in the plurality of transaction activities, the at least one processor is configured to send information to the website to facilitate prohibiting the user from engaging in the plurality of transaction activities during the interactive session with the website.

12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein after the location check system does not return the location of the computing device, the at least one processor is configured to obtain the location by sending a mobile telephone number of the user to a mobile locator system, and the mobile locator system returns the location of the computing device based at least on the mobile telephone number.

13 . A method for validating transaction activity a user wants to perform on a website in which the user has engaged in an initial interactive session, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving, over a network and from the website, initial information identifying the user and indicating that the user is engaging in the initial interactive session with the website; and

(b) after receiving the initial information:

(1) validating, by at least one computing device comprising at least one processor, one or more transaction activities the user can engage in during an interactive session with the website;

(2) issuing, by the at least one processor, a session identifier that is associated with the one or more validated transaction activities, the website, and the initial interactive session with the website; and

(3) storing the session identifier along with the information identifying the user, the website, and the initial interactive session in memory.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of validating the one or more transaction activities is valid for only the initial interactive session.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more transaction activities comprise a plurality of transaction activities.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising the step of transmitting a listing of the plurality of validated transaction activities to the website upon issuance of the session identifier, the listing of the plurality of validated transaction activities being incorporated within the session identifier.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving over the network information indicating the user wants to perform the first transaction activity while engaged in the interactive session with the website; and

(b) after receiving the information indicating the user wants to perform the first transaction activity:

(1) determining, by the at least one processor, a first result indicating whether the first transaction activity is included in the plurality of validated transaction activities associated with the session identifier; and

(2) after determining the first result:

(a) informing the website of the first result; and

(b) associating information indicating the first transaction activity with the session identifier; and

(c) receiving information over the network indicating the user wants to perform one or more subsequent transaction activities while engaged in the interactive session with the website;

(d) after receiving the information indicating the user wants to perform the one or more subsequent transaction activities, determining, by the at least one processor, a subsequent result for each one of the one or more subsequent transaction activities indicating whether the subsequent transaction activity is included in the plurality of validated transaction activities associated with the session identifier; and

(e) after determining the subsequent result:

(1) informing the website of the subsequent result; and

(2) storing information indicating the subsequent transaction activity with the session identifier in the memory, as long as the user remains engaged in the interactive session with the website.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the first result and the subsequent results are used for generation of tax payments due on the first transaction activity and the subsequent transaction activities to various jurisdictions and for tax reporting to the user and the various jurisdictions.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving information over the network from the website identifying the user after the user initiates a subsequent interactive session with the website;

(b) after receiving the information:

(1) issuing, by the at least one processor, a second session identifier that is associated with the user, the website, and the subsequent interactive session with the website; and

(2) storing the second session identifier along with the information identifying the user, the website, and the subsequent interactive session in the memory;

(c) receiving information indicating the user wants to perform a first transaction activity while engaged in the subsequent interactive session with the website; and

(d) after receiving the information indicating the user wants to perform the first activity:

(1) determining, by the at least one processor, a first result indicating whether the first transaction activity is included in the plurality of validated transaction activities associated with the second session identifier; and

(2) after determining the first result:

(a) informing the website of the first result; and

(b) associating information indicating the first transaction activity with the second session identifier,

(e) receiving information over the network indicating the user wants to perform one or more subsequent transaction activities while engaged in the subsequent interactive session with the website;

(f) after receiving the information indicating the user wants to perform the one or more subsequent transaction activities, determining, by the at least one processor, a subsequent result for each one of the one or more subsequent transaction activities indicating whether the subsequent transaction activity is included in the plurality of validated transaction activities associated with the second session identifier; and

(g) after determining the subsequent result:

(1) informing the website of the subsequent result; and

(2) storing information indicating the subsequent transaction activity with the second session identifier in the memory, as long as the user remains engaged in the subsequent interactive session with the operator website.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the user is a player, the website is a gambling website, and the plurality of transaction activities comprises one or more gambling activities on the gambling website.

21 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of validating the plurality of transaction activities the user can engage in during the interactive session with the website comprises the sub-steps of:

(a) receiving an IP address of a computing device the user is using to engage in the interactive session with the operator website;

(b) sending the IP address to a location check system;

(c) obtaining a location of the computing device from the location determining system; and

(d) determining, by the at least one processor, whether the user is in a jurisdiction in which the user is allowed to engage in the plurality of transaction activities based on the location.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the step of sending the IP address to a location check system comprises sending the IP address to at least one of a geo-IP check system, a registration correlation system, a mobile locator system, a wireless locator system, and a latency analysis system.

23 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising the step of, after determining the user is not in a jurisdiction in which the user is allowed to engage in the plurality of transaction activities, sending information to the website to facilitate prohibiting the user from engaging in the plurality of transaction activities during the interactive session with the website.

24 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising the step of, after the location check system does not return the location of the computing device, obtaining the location by the at least one processor sending a mobile telephone number of the user to a mobile locator system, wherein the mobile locator system returns the location of the computing device based on the mobile telephone number.

25 . A system for validating one or more transaction activities a user can perform on a website in which the user has engaged an interactive session, the system comprising:

at least one processor configured to:

(a) receive information identifying the user engaging in the interactive session with the website; and

(b) after receiving the information:

(1) validate the one or more transaction activities the user can engage in during the interactive session with the website;

(2) issue a session identifier that is associated with the one or more validated transaction activities, the website, and the interactive session with the website; and

(3) send the session identifier and the one or more validated transaction activities to the website, wherein the session identifier and the one or more validated transaction activities are configured to be used by the website to determine whether the user can perform one or more transaction activities on the website based on the one or more validated transaction activities and to associate the one or more transaction activities with the session identifier, as long as the user remains engaged in the interactive session with the website.

26 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the one or more transaction activities comprise purchases of one or more restricted products.

27 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the one or more restricted products are selected from a group consisting of: tobacco-containing products, alcohol-containing products, weapon-oriented products, drug-oriented products, adult-oriented products, and explosive-oriented products.

28 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the one or more restricted products are defined, in part, as restricted products based upon at least one of a user's age, jurisdiction, criminal record, self-exclusion criteria, and appearance in one or more exclusion databases.

29 . The system of claim 25 , wherein:

the session identifier comprises a certificate that operates as proof the user was validated for conducting a purchase transaction activity; and

the processor is further configured to send the certificate to the website for incorporation within purchase transaction data for the purchase transaction activity.

30 . The system of claim 25 , wherein validating the one or more transaction activities involves the at least one processor being configured to:

receive an IP address of a computing device the user is using to engage in the interactive session with the operator website;

send the IP address to a location check system;

obtain a location of the computing device from the location check system; and

determine whether the user is in a jurisdiction in which the user is allowed to engage in the one or more transaction activities based on the location.

31 . The system of claim 30 , wherein the location check system is selected from a group consisting of: a geo-IP check system, a registration correlation system, a mobile locator system, a wireless locator system, a latency analysis system, and any of a variety of combinations of one or more of such systems.

32 . The system of claim 30 , wherein after the location check system does not return the location of the computing device, the at least one processor is configured to obtain the location by sending a mobile telephone number of the user to a mobile locator system, and the mobile locator system returns the location of the computing device based on the mobile telephone number.

33 . A method for validating one or more transaction activities a user can perform on a website in which the user has engaged an interactive session, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving information identifying the user engaging in the interactive session with the website; and

(b) after receiving the information:

(1) validating the one or more transaction activities the user can engage in during the interactive session with the website by at least one computer processor;

(2) issuing a session identifier that is associated with the one or more validated transaction activities, the website, and the interactive session with the operator website; and

(3) sending the session identifier and the one or more validated transaction activities to the website, wherein the session identifier and the one or more validated transaction activities are configured to be used by the website to determine whether the user can perform one or more transaction activities on the website based on the one or more validated transaction activities and to associate the one or more transaction activities with the session identifier, as long as the user remains engaged in the interactive session with the website.

34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the one or more transaction activities comprise purchases of one or more restricted products.

35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the one or more restricted products are selected from a group consisting of: tobacco-containing products, alcohol-containing products, weapon-oriented products, drug-oriented products, adult-oriented products, and explosive-oriented products.

36 . The system of claim 34 , wherein the one or more restricted products are defined, in part, as restricted products based upon at least one of a user's age, jurisdiction, criminal record, self-exclusion criteria, and appearance in one or more exclusion databases.

37 . The system of claim 34 , wherein:

the session identifier comprises a certificate that operates as proof the user was validated for conducting a purchase transaction activity; and

the method further comprises the step of sending the certificate to the website for incorporation within purchase transaction data for the purchase transaction activity.

38 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the step for validating the one or more transaction activities involves:

receiving an IP address of a computing device the user is using to engage in the interactive session with the operator website;

sending the IP address to a location check system;

obtaining a location of the computing device from the location check system; and

determining, by the at least one computer processor, whether the user is in a jurisdiction in which the user is allowed to engage in the one or more transaction activities based on the location.

39 . The system of claim 38 , wherein the location check system is selected from a group consisting of: a geo-IP check system, a registration correlation system, a mobile locator system, a wireless locator system, a latency analysis system, and any of a variety of combinations of one or more of such systems.

40 . The method of claim 38 comprising the step of, after the location check system does not return the location of the computing device, obtaining the location by sending a mobile telephone number of the user to a mobile locator system, and the mobile locator system returns the location of the computing device based on the mobile telephone number.