Methods and systems for presenting a gaming-related message to a gamer in an area proximate to a beacon associated with a casino

1. A server system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured to execute instructions stored in the memory, which when executed, cause the processor to at least:

receive a first signal from a communication device, the first signal received in response to the communication device entering at least one of an immediate zone, a near zone, or a far zone, the immediate zone defined around a first beacon, the near zone defined around the immediate zone, and the far zone defined around the near zone;

determine, based on the first signal, a first zone associated with the communication device, wherein the first zone is one of the immediate zone, the near zone, or the far zone;

determine a first state of the communication device based on a movement of the communication device relative to the first beacon and one or more of the immediate zone, the near zone and the far zone, wherein the first state is one of an incoming state, an outgoing state, a lingering state or an idle state; and

transmit a message to the communication device based at least in part on the first zone and the first state.

2. The server system of claim 1 , wherein the immediate zone is defined concentrically around the first beacon, and wherein the near zone is defined concentrically around the immediate zone, and wherein the far zone is defined concentrically around the near zone.

3. The server system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

receive a second signal from the communication device, the second signal being sent in response to the movement of the communication device relative to the first beacon; and

determine the first state of the communication device based on the second signal.

4. The server system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

determine that the first state of the communication device is the incoming state if the movement of the communication device relative to the first beacon and the one or more of the immediate zone, the near zone and the far zone, is from the far zone to the near zone or from the near zone to the immediate zone;

determine that the first state of the communication device is the outgoing state if the movement of the communication device relative to the first beacon and the one or more of the immediate zone, the near zone and the far zone, is from the immediate zone to the near zone or from the near zone to the far zone;

determine that the first state of the communication device is the lingering state if the movement of the communication device relative to the first beacon and the one or more of the immediate zone, the near zone and the far zone remains within the first zone; and

determine that the first state of the communication device is the idle state if the movement of the communication device relative to the first beacon and the one or more of the immediate zone, the near zone and the far zone is outside the immediate zone, the near zone, and the far zone.

5. The server system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to customize, prior to transmitting, the message based at least in part on the first zone and the first state.

6. The server system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to customize, prior to transmitting, the message to identify at least one electronic gaming machine located within the first zone with the communication device.

7. The server system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to customize, prior to transmitting, the message to identify at least one electronic gaming machine located within the immediate zone, the near zone, or the far zone, the message indicating that the at least one electronic gaming machine is located substantially proximate the communication device.

8. The server system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to customize, prior to transmitting, the message to include instructions for a user of the communication device to physically locate at least one electronic gaming machine located proximate the communication device.

9. The server system of claim 1 , wherein the message includes a welcome message, and wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to customize, prior to transmitting, the message to include the welcome message in response to determining, based on the first signal, that the first zone is the far zone and the first state is the incoming state.

10. The server system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

receive a second signal, the second signal received in response to the communication device entering at least one of a second immediate zone, a second near zone, or a second far zone relative to a second beacon;

determine, a second state of the communication device based on a movement of the communication device relative to the second beacon, wherein the second state is one of a second incoming state, a second outgoing state, or a second idle state;

determine, based on the first state, the first zone, the second state, and the second zone, whether to transmit a first message to the communication device related to a first electronic gaming machine associated with the first beacon, or whether to transmit a second message to the communication device related to a second electronic gaming machine associated with the second beacon; and

transmit, based on the determining, one of the first message or the second message to the communication device.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a first signal from a communication device, the first signal received in response to the communication device entering at least one of an immediate zone, a near zone, or a far zone, the immediate zone defined around a first beacon, the near zone defined around the immediate zone, and the far zone defined around the near zone;

determining, based on the first signal, a first zone associated with the communication device, wherein the first zone is one of the immediate zone, the near zone, or the far zone;

determining a first state of the communication device based on a movement of the communication device relative to the first beacon and one or more of the immediate zone, the near zone and the far zone, wherein the first state is one of an incoming state, an outgoing state, a lingering state or an idle state; and

transmitting a message to the communication device based at least in part on the first zone and the first state.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the immediate zone is defined concentrically around the first beacon, and wherein the near zone is defined concentrically around the immediate zone, and wherein the far zone is defined concentrically around the near zone.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving a second signal from the communication device, the second signal being sent in response to the movement of the communication device relative to the first beacon; and

determining the first state of the communication device based on the second signal.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

determining that the first state of the communication device is an incoming state if the movement of the communication device relative to the first beacon and the one or more of the immediate zone, the near zone and the far zone is from the far zone to the near zone or from the near zone to the immediate zone;

determining that the first state of the communication device is an outgoing state if the movement of the communication device relative to the first beacon and the one or more of the immediate zone, the near zone and the far zone is from the immediate zone to the near zone or from the near zone to the far zone;

determining that the first state of the communication device is a lingering state if the movement of the communication device relative to the first beacon and the one or more of the immediate zone, the near zone and the far zone remains within the first zone; and

determining that the first state of the communication device is an idle state if the movement of the communication device relative to the first beacon and the one or more of the immediate zone, the near zone and the far zone is outside the immediate zone, the near zone, and the far zone.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising customizing, prior to transmitting, the message based at least in part on the first zone and the first state.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising customizing, prior to transmitting, the message to identify at least one electronic gaming machine located within the first zone with the communication device.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising customizing, prior to transmitting, the message to identify at least one electronic gaming machine located within the immediate zone, the near zone, or the far zone, the identification indicating that the at least one electronic gaming machine is located substantially proximate the communication device.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the message includes a welcome message, the method further comprising customizing, prior to transmitting, the message to include the welcome message in response to determining, based on the first signal, that the first zone is the far zone and the first state is the incoming state.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving a second signal, the second signal received in response to the communication device entering at least one of a second immediate zone, a second near zone, or a second far zone relative to a second beacon;

determining, a second state of the communication device based on a movement of the communication device relative to the second beacon, wherein the second state is one of a second incoming state, a second outgoing state, or a second idle state;

determining, based on the first state, the first zone, the second state, and the second zone, whether to transmit a first message to the communication device related to a first electronic gaming machine associated with the first beacon, or whether to transmit a second message to the communication device related to a second electronic gaming machine associated with the second beacon; and

transmitting, based on the determining, one of the first message or the second message to the communication device.

20. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory, tangible, computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to at least:

receive a first signal from a communication device, the first signal received in response to the communication device entering at least one of an immediate zone, a near zone, or a far zone, the immediate zone defined around a first beacon, the near zone defined around the immediate zone, and the far zone defined around the near zone;

determine, based on the first signal, a first zone associated with the communication device, wherein the first zone is one of the immediate zone, the near zone, or the far zone;

determine a first state of the communication device based on a movement of the communication device relative to the first beacon and one or more of the immediate zone, the near zone and the far zone, wherein the first state is one of an incoming state, an outgoing state, or an idle state; and

transmit a message to the communication device based at least in part on the first zone and the first state.