Wagering game system and method with session RTP adjusted based on player skill

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11615674-B2
Application number	US-202016887992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2020
Priority date	Feb 12, 2016
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

A gaming machine and method include a monetary input device, a user interface configured to: enable a player to select a wager for a game of chance having a skill-based activity, to interact with the game of chance using a gaming input device. A processor is programmed to enable the player to win a prize based at least in part on input from the gaming input device, and to set at least one parameter of the skill-based activity or the gaming input device to a first difficulty for winning the prize during a first game of a gaming session including a plurality of games, and to adjust the parameter to modify the difficulty to a second difficulty for winning the prize during a subsequent game of the gaming session to maintain a predetermined percentage or percentage range of money or credits returned to the player (RTP) during the gaming session.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic gaming machine comprising:
a monetary input device configured to determine a monetary value associated with a physical item;
a user interface configured to:
enable a player to interact with a game of chance using a gaming input device;
enable the player to initiate a cash out operation; and

a processor programmed to:
add the monetary value to a credit balance for the player;
deduct the selected wager from the credit balance;
decrease the credit balance in response to the cash out operation;
enable the player to win a prize associated with the game of chance based at least in part on input from the gaming input device, the game of chance including a skill-based activity;
establish a maximum return-to-player (RTP) threshold less than 100% for a player having a skill level above a specified threshold; and
wherein the processor is programmed to adjust the RTP percentage to a level less than the RTP threshold by modifying at least one parameter of the skill-based activity and/or the prize awarded for winning the game by adjusting at least one parameter selected from a group consisting of randomness, prize probability, and difficulty of the skill-based activity.

2. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 wherein adjusting the at least one parameter comprises identifying the player and an associated skill level, the associated skill level based on gameplay from at least one previous game.

3. The electronic gaming machine of claim 2 where identifying the player comprises associating the player with a player loyalty program.

4. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the at least one parameter of the skill-based activity comprises randomness of occurrence of the skill-based activity.

5. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the at least one parameter comprises a prize associated with the skill-based activity.

6. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the processor is further programmed to apply a randomness adjustment in addition to modifying the at least one parameter.

7. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the game of chance comprises a bonus game presented in response to a selected outcome of a primary game of chance.

8. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein a prize associated with the skill-based activity is randomly selected from a plurality of prizes each having an associated value, and wherein the processor is programmed to vary the probability of selecting the randomly selected prize to adjust the RTP percentage during a gaming session having a plurality of games.

9. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the gaming input device comprises a touch screen.

10. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the user interface comprises the touch screen.

11. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the processor is further programmed to present the game of chance as a skill-based bonus game in response to a specified outcome of a primary game of chance.

12. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the gaming input device is selected from a group consisting of a mouse, a keyboard, a pointing device, a hybrid controller, and a touch screen.

13. An electronic gaming machine comprising:
a monetary input device configured to determine a monetary value associated with a physical item;
a user interface configured to:
enable a player to interact with a game of chance using a gaming input device;
enable the player to initiate a cash out operation; and

a processor programmed to:
add the monetary value to a credit balance for the player;
deduct the selected wager from the credit balance;
decrease the credit balance in response to the cash out operation;
enable the player to win a prize associated with the game of chance based at least in part on input from the gaming input device, the game of chance including a skill-based activity having a plurality of skill-based characteristics;
establish a maximum return-to-player (RTP) of less than 100% for a player having a skill level above a specified value; and
wherein the processor is programmed to adjust the RTP to a level less than the maximum RTP by modifying the skill-based characteristics of the skill-based activity by adjusting at least one of randomness, prize probability, and difficulty of the skill-based activity to achieve a specified outcome of the game.

14. The electronic gaming machine of claim 13 wherein the processor is further programmed to identify the player and determine an associated skill level, the skill level based on previous gameplay.

15. The electronic gaming machine of claim 14 where the processor is programed to identify the player based on participation in a player loyalty program.

16. The electronic gaming machine of claim 13 wherein the skill-based characteristics comprise a randomness of skill-based activity occurrence.

17. The electronic gaming machine of claim 13 wherein the game of chance comprises a bonus game presented in response to a selected outcome of a primary game of chance.

18. The electronic gaming machine of claim 13 wherein the gaming input device comprises a touch screen.

19. The electronic gaming machine of claim 18 wherein the user interface comprises the touch screen.

20. The electronic gaming machine of claim 13 wherein the game of chance is a primary game of chance and wherein the processor is further programmed to present a bonus game in response to an outcome of the primary game of chance, the bonus game including a second skill-based activity.

21. The electronic gaming machine of claim 13 wherein the gaming input device is selected from a group consisting of a mouse, a pointing device, a keyboard, a wheel, a hybrid controller, and a touch screen.

22. An electronic gaming machine comprising:
a monetary input device configured to determine a monetary value associated with a physical item;
a user interface configured to:
enable a player to interact with a game of chance using a gaming input device;
enable the player to initiate a cash out operation; and

a processor programmed to:
add the monetary value to a credit balance for the player;
deduct the selected wager from the credit balance;
decrease the credit balance in response to the cash out operation;
enable the player to win a prize associated with the game of chance based at least in part on input from the gaming input device, the game of chance including a skill-based activity having a plurality of skill-based characteristics;
establish a maximum return-to-player (RTP) threshold less than 100% for a player having a skill level above a specified skill threshold; and
wherein the processor is programmed to adjust the RTP to a level less than the RTP threshold by modifying prize award probabilities associated with the skill-based activity.

23. The electronic gaming machine of claim 22 wherein the processor is programmed to identify the player and an associated skill level, and to adjust the RTP based on the associated skill level.

24. The electronic gaming machine of claim 23 wherein the processor is programmed to identify the player based on participation in a player loyalty program.

25. The electronic gaming machine of claim 22 wherein the plurality of skill-based characteristics comprises randomness of the prize award probability.

26. The electronic gaming machine of claim 2

Assignees

• Gaming Arts LLC

Inventors

• Colvin David
• Colvin Eric D

Classifications

• G07F17/3211

  Display means · CPC title

• G07F17/3209

  Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen · CPC title

• G07F17/3297

  Fairground games, e.g. Tivoli, coin pusher machines, cranes · CPC title

• G07F17/3267 Primary

  Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games · CPC title

• G07F17/3244

  Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes · CPC title