Method of gaming, a game controller and a gaming system
View Patent ↗A method of gaming comprising: receiving an input indicative that a player accepts deferred payment in respect of at least one award awardable during play of a game; conducting the play to determine whether the at least one award is made; and providing an entitlement to the player to enable the player to obtain the award after a deferment period when the award is made to the player.
1. A method of gaming for use with a gaming system having a) a game controller and b) a predefined return-to-player (RTP), the method of gaming comprising:
providing via the game controller an option to defer payment in respect of an award awardable during a play of a game, the option including enabling a selection of a length of a deferment period;
receiving via the game controller an input indicative of the selected length of deferment period;
applying via the game controller one of a plurality of predefined entitlements, each of the plurality of predefined entitlements being associated with a length of the deferment period, wherein the value of each predefined entitlement alters said predefined RTP such that selecting a non-zero length of deferment period results in an adjusted RTP that is higher than said predefined RTP;
conducting via the game controller the play to determine whether the award is made; and
providing via the game controller the applied said one of a plurality of predefined entitlements to enable a receipt of the award after the deferment period when the award is payable.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , and wherein the input indicates a player acceptance of a deferred payment in respect of all awards awardable during play of the game.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 , and wherein the input indicates a player acceptance of a deferred payment in respect of a subset of all awards awardable during play of the game.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1 , and wherein the received input specifies one of at least two possible deferment periods and different awards applicable to each deferment period.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1 , and further comprising offering the option to select between at least two different inputs at least one of which corresponds to a deferred payment of the award, and at least one of which corresponds to an immediate payment of all awards.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising providing at least one additional benefit when a deferred payment is accepted.
7. A method as claimed in claim 6 , and further comprising providing the benefit in the form of an increased award amount related to the deferment period.
8. A method as claimed in claim 6 , and further comprising providing the benefit in the form of at least one alteration to the rules of the game.
9. A method as claimed in claim 8 , and further comprising altering a pay table of the game.
10. A method as claimed in claim 8 , and further comprising altering a probability of one or more outcomes of a play of the game.
11. A method as claimed in claim 8 , and further comprising providing at least one additional feature not available for a non-deferred payment.
12. A method as claimed in claim 1 , and further comprising storing the entitlement as data associated with a player account.
13. A method as claimed in claim 1 , and further comprising providing a token corresponding to the entitlement.
14. A method as claimed in claim 1 , and wherein the input is received prior to or as part of initiating a play of the game.
15. A game controller for a gaming system having a predefined return-to-player (RTP), the game controller configured to:
provide an option to a player to defer payment in respect of an award awardable during a play of a game, the option including enabling the player to select a length of a deferment period;
receive an input indicative of the selected length of deferment period;
apply one of a plurality of predefined entitlements, each predefined entitlement being associated with a length of the deferment period, wherein the value of each predefined entitlement alters said predefined RTP such that selecting a non-zero length of deferment period results in an adjusted RTP that is higher than said predefined RTP;
conduct the play to determine whether the award is made; and
provide the applied said one of a plurality of predefined entitlements to the player to enable the player to obtain the award after the deferment period when the award is payable to the player.
16. A game controller as claimed in claim 15 , and configured to determine from the input whether the player accepts a deferred payment in respect of all awards awardable during play of the game.
17. A game controller as claimed in claim 15 , and configured to determine from the input whether the player accepts a deferred payment in respect of a subset of all awards awardable during play of the game.
18. A game controller as claimed in claim 15 , and configured to determine from the input, one of at least two possible deferment periods and different awards applicable to each deferment period.
19. A game controller as claimed in claim 15 , and configured to offer the player the option to select between at least two different inputs at least one of which corresponds to a deferred payment of at least one award, and at least one of which corresponds to an immediate payment of all awards.
20. A game controller as claimed in claim 15 , and configured to provide at least one additional benefit to a player when the player accepts a deferred payment.
21. A game controller as claimed in claim 20 , and configured to provide the benefit in the form of an increased award amount related to the deferment period.
22. A game controller as claimed in claim 20 , and configured to provide the benefit in the form of at least one alteration to the rules of the game.
23. A game controller as claimed in claim 22 , and configured to alter a pay table of the game.
24. A game controller as claimed in claim 23 , and configured to provide at least one additional feature not available for a non-deferred payment.
25. A game controller as claimed in claim 22 , and configured to alter a probability of one or more outcomes of a play of the game.
26. A game controller as claimed in claim 15 , and further comprising a win meter configured at least temporarily to store win amounts during normal play and a deferred win meter for at least temporarily storing win amounts during deferred payment play.
27. A game controller as claimed in claim 26 , and further comprising a meter controller configured selectively to activate the win meter or deferred win meter based on the received input.
28. A game controller as claimed in claim 15 , and further comprising an entitlement generator configured to generate an entitlement based on one or more awards made during deferred payment play.
29. A game controller as claimed in claim 28 , and wherein the entitlement generator is configured to store the entitlement as data associated with a player account.
30. A game controller as claimed in claim 28 , and wherein the entitlement generator is configured to generate a token corresponding to the entitlement to provide to the player.