Play for fun network gaming system and method
View Patent ↗A network based play for fun gaming system and method that includes allocating a first number of achievable elements to said player based at least in part on at least one of a number of games completed by a user, a total amount of said wagers of said player in one or more games, and/or a total amount of winnings and/or losses by a player, wherein said achievable elements do not affect the game outcome. The achievable elements may also be purchased by a player and used to unlock additional features, speed play, assign additional players, provide additional features, provide additional bonuses, and/or provide a user the option to modify the player's play for fun experience.
1. A gaming platform for play of at least one of a pay-to-play wagering game and a play-for-fun wagering game, comprising:
an external client server that, in operation, enables external access to the gaming platform for playing of a first set of wagering games identified as pay-to-play and for playing of a second set of wagering games identified as play-for-fun that is mutually exclusive from the first set;
a deck server that, in operation, generates random game pieces for at least one of the pay-to-play wagering game and the play-for-fun wagering game;
a game rules server that, in operation, processes game play indicated by one or more electronic communications of the external client server with respect to at least one of the pay-to-play wagering game and the play-for-fun wagering game, wherein the game rules server is communicatively coupled to but logically separated from said deck server; and
an account server that is communicatively coupled to the game rules server and that, in operation, supports play of pay-to-play wagering games and supports play of play-for-fun games, wherein supporting play of pay-to-play wagering games includes enabling a player to access funds from a player account and to cash out via the player account for the pay-to-play wagering games, and wherein supporting play of play-for-fun wagering games does not include enabling the player to cash out via the player account for the play-for-fun wagering games,
wherein the game routing server, in operation, processes electronic communications to and from the game rules server via a distinct second firewall.
2. A gaming platform for play of at least one of a pay-to-play wagering game and a play-for-fun wagering game, comprising:
an external client server that, in operation, enables external access to the gaming platform for playing of a first set of wagering games identified as pay-to-play and for playing of a second set of wagering games identified as play-for-fun that is mutually exclusive from the first set;
a deck server that, in operation, generates random game pieces for at least one of the pay-to-play wagering game and the play-for-fun wagering game;
a game rules server that, in operation, processes game play indicated by one or more electronic communications of the external client server with respect to at least one of the pay-to-play wagering game and the play-for-fun wagering game, wherein the game rules server is communicatively coupled to but logically separated from said deck server; and
an account server that is communicatively coupled to the game rules server and that, in operation, supports play of pay-to-play wagering games and supports play of play-for-fun games, wherein supporting play of pay-to-play wagering games includes enabling a player to access funds from a player account and to cash out via the player account for the pay-to-play wagering games, and wherein supporting play of play-for-fun wagering games does not include enabling the player to cash out via the player account for the play-for-fun wagering games,
wherein the game rules server is accessible to a first set of users having first access privileges, and wherein the deck server is accessible to a distinct second set of users having second access privileges.
3. A gaming platform for play of at least one of a pay-to-play wagering game and a play-for-fun wagering game, comprising:
an external client server that, in operation, enables external access to the gaming platform for playing of a first set of wagering games identified as pay-to-play and for playing of a second set of wagering games identified as play-for-fun that is mutually exclusive from the first set;
a deck server that, in operation, generates random game pieces for at least one of the pay-to-play wagering game and the play-for-fun wagering game;
a game rules server that, in operation, processes game play indicated by one or more electronic communications of the external client server with respect to at least one of the pay-to-play wagering game and the play-for-fun wagering game, wherein the game rules server is communicatively coupled to but logically separated from said deck server; and
an account server that is communicatively coupled to the game rules server and that, in operation, supports play of pay-to-play wagering games and supports play of play-for-fun games, wherein supporting play of pay-to-play wagering games includes enabling a player to access funds from a player account and to cash out via the player account for the pay-to-play wagering games, and wherein supporting play of play-for-fun wagering games does not include enabling the player to cash out via the player account for the play-for-fun wagering games,
wherein one or more of the game rules server and the deck server are configured in accordance with one or more gaming authority regulations and wherein the gaming platform comprises one or more servers that are not configured in accordance with the one or more gaming authority regulations.
4. A gaming platform for play of at least one of a pay-to-play wagering game and a play-for-fun wagering game, comprising:
an external client server that, in operation, enables external access to the gaming platform for playing of a first set of wagering games identified as pay-to-play and for playing of a second set of wagering games identified as play-for-fun that is mutually exclusive from the first set;
a deck server that, in operation, generates random game pieces for at least one of the pay-to-play wagering game and the play-for-fun wagering game;
a game rules server that, in operation, processes game play indicated by one or more electronic communications of the external client server with respect to at least one of the pay-to-play wagering game and the play-for-fun wagering game, wherein the game rules server is communicatively coupled to but logically separated from said deck server; and
an account server that is communicatively coupled to the game rules server and that, in operation, supports play of pay-to-play wagering games and supports play of play-for-fun games, wherein supporting play of pay-to-play wagering games includes enabling a player to access funds from a player account and to cash out via the player account for the pay-to-play wagering games, and wherein supporting play of play-for-fun wagering games does not include enabling the player to cash out via the player account for the play-for-fun wagering games,
wherein the account server is a first account server that is associated with a first account platform for processing one or more payments via the player account, and wherein the gaming platform further comprises one or more additional account servers that are each associated with a distinct additional account platform.
5. A method of enabling the play of wagering games, the method comprising:
providing code on an external client server to enable access via one or more computer networks to a wagering platform for playing of a first set of wagering games identified as pay-to-play and for playing of a second set of wagering games identified as play-for-fun that is mutually exclusive from the first set, the wagering platform having a game rules server and an account server;
receiving, by the game rules server and from the external client server via the one or more computer networks, an indication of a first placed wager from a first player of a pay-to-play wagering game;
receiving, by the game rules server and from the external client server via the one or more computer networks, an indication of a second placed wager from a second player of a play-for-fun wagering game;
transmitting, by the game rules server and to the external client server via the one or more computer networks, first game outcome information for the pay-to-play wagering game and second game outcome information for the play-for-fun wagering game; facilitating, by the account server and based at least in part on the pay-to-play wagering game being pay-to-play, the first player cashing out via access to player funds of a first player account; and
preventing, by the account server and based at least in part on the play-for-fun wagering game being play-for-fun, the second player from cashing out,
wherein receiving an indication of a first placed wager by the game rules server from the external client server includes receiving, by the game rules server, one or more electronic communications from a game routing server of the wagering platform that is communicatively coupled to the external client server via at least a first firewall for preventing unauthorized access to the game routing server, and
wherein receiving the one or more electronic communications from the game routing server includes receiving, by the game rules server, the one or more electronic communications from the game routing server via a distinct second firewall for preventing unauthorized access to the game rules server.
6. A method of enabling the play of wagering games, the method comprising:
providing code on an external client server to enable access via one or more computer networks to a wagering platform for playing of a first set of wagering games identified as pay-to-play and for playing of a second set of wagering games identified as play-for-fun that is mutually exclusive from the first set, the wagering platform having a game rules server and an account server;
receiving, by the game rules server and from the external client server via the one or more computer networks, an indication of a first placed wager from a first player of a pay-to-play wagering game;
receiving, by the game rules server and from the external client server via the one or more computer networks, an indication of a second placed wager from a second player of a play-for-fun wagering game;
transmitting, by the game rules server and to the external client server via the one or more computer networks, first game outcome information for the pay-to-play wagering game and second game outcome information for the play-for-fun wagering game;
facilitating, by the account server and based at least in part on the pay-to-play wagering game being pay-to-play, the first player cashing out via access to player funds of a first player account; and
preventing, by the account server and based at least in part on the play-for-fun wagering game being play-for-fun, the second player from cashing out,
further comprising configuring the game rules server in accordance with one or more gaming authority regulations, wherein at least one server of the gaming platform is not configured in accordance with the one or more gaming authority regulations.
7. A method of enabling the play of wagering games, the method comprising:
providing code on an external client server to enable access via one or more computer networks to a wagering platform for playing of a first set of wagering games identified as pay-to-play and for playing of a second set of wagering games identified as play-for-fun that is mutually exclusive from the first set, the wagering platform having a game rules server and an account server;
receiving, by the game rules server and from the external client server via the one or more computer networks, an indication of a first placed wager from a first player of a pay-to-play wagering game;
receiving, by the game rules server and from the external client server via the one or more computer networks, an indication of a second placed wager from a second player of a play-for-fun wagering game;
transmitting, by the game rules server and to the external client server via the one or more computer networks, first game outcome information for the pay-to-play wagering game and second game outcome information for the play-for-fun wagering game;
facilitating, by the account server and based at least in part on the pay-to-play wagering game being pay-to-play, the first player cashing out via access to player funds of a first player account; and
preventing, by the account server and based at least in part on the play-for-fun wagering game being play-for-fun, the second player from cashing out,
further comprising providing access to the game rules server for a first set of users having first access privileges, and providing access to the deck server for a second set of users having distinct second access privileges.