Presenting and controlling wagering game marketing information

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device configured to store instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to,

determine that a first player account uses a toolbar to access a first content presented in the toolbar, wherein the first content is associated with one or more wagering games, wherein the toolbar is a plug-in of a browser application and is separate from a main display area of the browser application, wherein second content is presented in the main display area of the browser application concurrently with presentation of the first content in the toolbar, wherein presentation of the first content within the toolbar is independent of changes to the second content within the main display area of the browser application, and wherein the first content includes functionality that is not a part of the second content,

determine that a second player account referred the first player account in response to determining that the first player account uses the toolbar, and

provide a referral award to the second player account for referring the first player account.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the referral award is one or more of a set referral dollar amount, entertainment points, casino perks, social status points, an invitation to wagering game tournaments, and a group award.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to calculate the referral award based on one or more of a number of other player accounts that the second player account previously referred, a number of the other player accounts that the first player account refers after being referred by the second player account, and an amount of wagering game activity of the first player account via the toolbar.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instruction configured to determine that the second player account referred the first player account includes an instruction configured to one or more of detect that the second player account provided the toolbar to the first player account, and detect a reference to the second player account during use of the toolbar to access the first content.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to,

determine one or more of an amount of winnings and an amount of losses by the first player account via wagers made from the toolbar, and

provide a percentage of the one or more of the amount of winnings and the amount of losses to the second player account as the referral award.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to

pool the referral award, and

distribute the referral award periodically based on one or more of a number of referred players by one or more of the first player account and the second player account, a degree of play of wagering games by one or more of the first player account and the second player account, a degree of play of players referred by one or more of the first player account and the second player account, and a degree of play of players who referred one or more of the first player account and the second player account.

7. A method comprising:

providing wagering game content, wherein the wagering game content is to be presented in a toolbar, wherein the toolbar is a plug-in of a browser application, wherein the wagering game content is associated with one or more wagering games, wherein the browser application is configured so presentation of the wagering game content within the toolbar is independent of changes to additional content presented within a navigable display area of the browser application, wherein the toolbar is separate from the navigable display area, and wherein the wagering game content includes functionality that is not a part of the additional content;

determining that a first player account uses the toolbar to access the wagering game content;

determining, via one or more processors, that a second player account referred the first player account to one or more of the toolbar and the wagering game content in response to the determining that the first player account uses the toolbar; and

providing, via at least one of the one or more processors, a referral award to the second player account for referring the first player account to the one or more of the toolbar and the wagering game content.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the toolbar is distributable separate from the browser application via one or more of the first player account and the second player account.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the determining that the second player account referred the first player account to one or more of the toolbar and the wagering game content comprises one or more of detecting that the second player account provided the toolbar to the first player account and detecting that the second player account referred the first player account to the wagering game content for presentation via the toolbar.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

determining one or more of an amount of winnings and an amount of losses by the first player account via wagers made from the toolbar; and

providing a percentage of the one or more of the amount of winnings and the amount of losses to the second player account as the referral award.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the referral award is one or more of a set referral dollar amount, entertainment points, casino perks, social status points, an invitation to wagering game tournaments, and a group award.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising calculating the referral award based on one or more of a number of other player accounts that the second player account has previously referred, a number of the other player accounts that the first player account refers after being referred by the second player account, and an amount of wagering game activity of the first player account via the toolbar.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising presenting an awards redemption control panel configured to select the referral award from a list of possible items.

14. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

pooling the referral award; and

distributing the referral award periodically based on one or more of a number of referred players by one or more of the first player account and the second player account, a degree of play of wagering games by one or more of the first player account and the second player account, a degree of play of players referred by one or more of the first player account and the second player account, and a degree of play of players who referred one or more of the first player account and the second player account.

15. One or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a set of one or more processors causes the set of one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

providing first content to be presented in a toolbar, wherein the toolbar is a plug-in of a browser application, and wherein the first content is associated with one or more wagering games;

providing second content to be presented in a main display area of the browser application concurrently with presentation of the first content in the toolbar, wherein the browser application is configured so presentation of the first content within the toolbar is independent of changes to the second content within the main display area, wherein the toolbar is separate from the main display area, and wherein the first content includes functionality that is not a part of the second content;

determining that a first player account uses the toolbar to access the first content,

determining that a second player account referred the first player account in response to determining that the first player account uses the toolbar, and

providing a referral award to the second player account for referring the first player account.

16. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the operation for determining that the second player account referred the first player account includes one or more operations comprising one or more of detecting that the second player account provided the toolbar to the first player account, and detecting a reference to the second player account during use of the toolbar.

17. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 15 , said operations further comprising:

determining an amount of winnings by the first player account via wagers made from the toolbar; and

providing a percentage of the amount of winnings to the second player account as the referral award.

18. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the referral award is one or more of a set referral dollar amount, entertainment points, casino perks, social status points, an invitation to wagering game tournaments, a group award, and a percentage of losses by the first player account.

19. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 15 , said operations further comprising calculating the referral award based on one or more of a number of other player accounts that the second player account has previously referred, a number of the other player accounts that the first player account refers after being referred by the second player account, and an amount of wagering game activity of the first player account via the toolbar.

20. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 15 , said operations further comprising presenting an awards redemption control panel configured to select the referral award from a list of possible items.

21. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 15 , said operations further comprising:

pooling the referral award; and

distributing the referral award periodically based on one or more of a number of referred players by one or more of the first player account and the second player account, a degree of play of wagering games by one or more of the first player account and the second player account, a degree of play of players referred by one or more of the first player account and the second player account, and a degree of play of players who referred one or more of the first player account and the second player account.

22. A system comprising:

at least one computer including at least one memory device configured to store instructions which, when executed by the at least one computer, cause the system to,

provide first content to be presented in a toolbar of a browser application, wherein the toolbar is a plug-in of the browser application, and wherein the first content is associated with one or more wagering games,

provide second content to be presented in a main display area of the browser application concurrently with presentation of the first content in the toolbar, wherein the browser application is configured so presentation of the first content within the toolbar is independent of changes to the second content within the main display area of the browser application, wherein the toolbar is separate from the main display area, and wherein the first content includes functionality that is not a part of the second content,

determine that a first player account uses the toolbar to access the first content,

determine that a second player account referred the first player account in response to determining that the first player account uses the toolbar, and

provide a referral award to the second player account for referring the first player account.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the instruction configured to determine that the second player account referred the first player account includes an instruction configured to one or more of detect that the second player account provided the toolbar to the first player account, and detect a reference to the second player account during use of the toolbar to access the first content.

24. The system of claim 22 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one computer, further cause the system to,

determine one or more of an amount of winnings and an amount of losses by the first player account via wagers made from the toolbar, and

provide a percentage of the one or more of the amount of winnings and the amount of losses to the second player account as the referral award.

25. The system of claim 22 , wherein the referral award is one or more of a set referral dollar amount, entertainment points, casino perks, social status points, an invitation to wagering game tournaments, and a group award.

26. The system of claim 22 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one computer, further cause the system to calculate the referral award based on one or more of a number of other player accounts that the second player account has previously referred, a number of the other player accounts that the first player account refers after being referred by the second player account, and an amount of wagering game activity of the first player account via the toolbar.

27. The system of claim 22 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one computer, further cause the system to

pool the referral award, and

distribute the referral award periodically based on one or more of a number of referred players by one or more of the first player account and the second player account, a degree of play of wagering games by one or more of the first player account and the second player account, a degree of play of players referred by one or more of the first player account and the second player account, and a degree of play of players who referred one or more of the first player account and the second player account.

28. An apparatus comprising:

means for providing wagering game content to be presented in a toolbar, wherein the toolbar is a plug-in of a browser application, wherein the wagering game content is associated with one or more wagering games, wherein the browser application is configured so presentation of the wagering game content within the toolbar is independent of changes to additional content within a navigable display area of the browser application, wherein the toolbar is separate from the navigable display area, and wherein the wagering game content includes functionality that is not a part of the additional content;

means for determining that a first player account uses the toolbar to access the wagering game content;

means for determining that a second player account referred the first player account in response to determination that the first player account uses the toolbar, wherein the means for determining that the second player account referred the first player account comprises one or more of means for detecting that the second player account provided the toolbar to the first player account, and means for detecting a reference to the second player account during use of the toolbar to access the wagering game content; and

means for providing a referral award to the second player account for referring the first player account.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 , wherein the toolbar is distributable separate from the browser application via one or more of the first player account and the second player account.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising:

means for determining one or more of an amount of winnings and an amount of losses by the first player account via wagers made from the toolbar; and

means for providing a percentage of the one or more of the amount of winnings and the amount of losses to the second player account as the referral award.

31. The apparatus of claim 28 , wherein the referral award is one or more of a set referral dollar amount, entertainment points, casino perks, social status points, an invitation to wagering game tournaments, and a group award.

32. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising means for calculating the referral award based on one or more of a number of other player accounts that the second player account has previously referred, a number of the other player accounts that the first player account refers after being referred by the second player account, and an amount of wagering game activity of the first player account via the toolbar.

33. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising:

means for pooling the referral award; and

means for distributing the referral award periodically based on one or more of a number of referred players by one or more of the first player account and the second player account, a degree of play of wagering games by one or more of the first player account and the second player account, a degree of play of players referred by one or more of the first player account and the second player account, and a degree of play of players who referred one or more of the first player account and the second player account.