Embodiments of the present invention are directed to gaming devices that provide audio-visual animated characters in response to game play. The character has a personality that may be encouraging, taunting or another quality. A plurality of expressions of the personality is presented, between one extreme and another, dependant upon the history of game outcomes.

A controller of a central control system generates an operator interface that enables definition of a plurality of target combinations via a plurality of data input fields. The controller defines the target combinations to include each combination of cards that satisfies operator input into the data input fields. The controller receives signals from a plurality of EGMs indicating respective game outcomes, determines if the game outcomes satisfy one of the target combinations, and, if so, decrements a counter value. The controller awards a bonus if the counter value is equal to a threshold value, or continues to decrement the counter until the counter value reaches the threshold value.

An electronic game machine comprises a display, an interface device for receiving input from a human player and a controller. The controller, responsive to initiation of a machine implemented game, prompts the human player to select to play a first player state or a second player state. The controller receives in response to the prompt, an input from the human player through the interface device whereby the human player chooses the first player state or the second player state. The first player state enables the human player to select at least one of at least two predefined selections responsive to a game state and the second player state defines the response of the humane player according to predetermined rules. If the human player has selected the first player state, the controller receives the selection from the human player of the at least one of the at least two predefined selections, determines a predetermined response of the electronic game machine responsive to the selection of the human player and determines an outcome to the machine implemented game responsive to the selection of the human player and the predetermined response of the electronic game machine. If the human player has selected the second player state, the controller automatically responds to selections of the electronic game machine in accordance with the predetermined rules and determines the outcome to the machine implemented game responsive to the automatic responses of the human player. The controller awards the wagered units responsive to the determined outcome. If the human player and the electronic game machine each have remaining wagering units, the controller implements a further round of wagering.

A system and method of providing a player loyalty program to award a player of an electronic gaming machine, including conducting games with enhanced payouts based on a cash in or initial investment amount. In response to a player's initial investment or cash in amount, a payout schedule is selected. The larger the initial investment the better the selected payout schedule for the player. Live games facilitated by electronic gaming machines or devices and server-based games may utilize the method disclosed herein. Players may also receive enhanced awards such as enhanced player points based on the amount of the initial investment. Awards and bonuses may also be provided to players who exhaust an initial investment exceeding a threshold amount.

A game system capable of suppressing the variation in the remaining number of prizes between multiple game machines is provided. A game system includes two game machines that each provide a game and a prize discharge mechanism that discharges a capsule from among multiple capsules that contain a plurality of physical prizes. Additionally, the prize discharge mechanism discharges a capsule when a prize condition is satisfied in at least one of the two game machines.

A game machine includes a game operation acceptance device configured to accept one or more game operations by a player. The game machine also includes a skill evaluating device configured to determine whether or not the one or more game operations that are accepted by the game operation acceptance device satisfy one or more predefined skill conditions. The game machine also includes a game value consuming device configured to consume a game value in case that the skill evaluating device determined that the one or more game operations by the player which are accepted by the game operation acceptance device satisfy the one or more predefined skill conditions.

Described embodiments generally relate to a computing system including a virtual environment hosting a player avatar comprising: a display; a memory storing a set of activity instructions; at least one input mechanism configured to receive user input from a player. The controller is configured to access and execute the instructions stored in the memory to: generate a virtual environment; present a player avatar on the within the virtual environment; present at least one skill activity on the display; enable a player to control the player avatar to perform the game of skill activity in association with the virtual environment by operating the at least one input mechanism; in response to a triggering event, determine a skill score based on at least one aspect of the avatar's performance in the skill activity and the set of activity instructions; and based on the skill score, determine whether to electronically allocate a virtual good for use in association with the player avatar.

A system and method(s) for cashless funding of a gaming machine is described. The method, for instance, includes detecting a user input associated with a funding request. The user input is transmitted from a mobile device. The method further includes, in response to detecting the user input, obtaining a virtual ticket from a third-party funding system external to a casino network. The virtual ticket was purchased, via the third-party funding system, from a ticketing server internal to the casino network. The virtual ticket is associated with a voucher identifier authorized by the ticketing server. The method also includes redeeming, using the voucher identifier, the virtual ticket. In response to redeeming the virtual ticket, the ticketing server transmits, via the casino network, a funding authorization for the amount of monetary value. The method further includes, in response to the receiving the funding authorization via the casino network, funding the gaming machine via funds transfer in the casino network.

Systems and methods for use in providing a random reward associated with at least one game are disclosed. One exemplary method includes receiving, by a gaming server, data representative of gaming activity of a player of the at least one game, providing, by the gaming server, a code associated with the random reward, wherein the code is representative of an entry to win the random reward, receiving, by the gaming server, data representative of a text message including the code, determining whether the player won the random reward based on the received code, and providing a notification indicating whether the player won the random reward.

A gaming machine determines a base outcome and initiates a bonus display sequence including a plurality of bonus outcomes. Prior to displaying any of the bonus outcomes, the machine determines a quantity of free spins and an outcome for each free spin, including an outcome amount, and at least one additional free play outcome including a corresponding outcome amount. The machine identifies i) a plurality of winning outcomes and ii) a plurality of non-winning outcomes and sorts, in ascending order based on the outcome amount, the plurality of winning outcomes in a table stored in memory. The machine displays the winning outcomes in order retrieved from the table, and displays the at least one additional free play outcome when the corresponding outcome amount is equal to or greater than the respective free play outcome of the plurality of winning outcomes.