The present invention relates to a gaming system and, in particular, to a metering system for a gaming system and a method of handling meter data.
It is known to provide a gaming machine which comprises a game controller arranged to randomly display several symbols from a predetermined set of symbols and to determine a game outcome such as a game win based on the displayed symbols. Such gaming machines may commonly be implemented as a stepper machine provided with reels with each reel carrying several symbols of the set, or a video machine wherein selected symbols are displayed on virtual reels on a graphical display device. Win outcomes can occur based on symbols appearing in one or more horizontal lines nominated by a player, or in any other predetermined way.
In at least some jurisdictions, it is a regulatory requirement that meter data is retained, such meter data including accounting data indicative of the amount of credits input into a gaming machine, the amount of credits dispensed by the gaming machine and the amount of credits available for game play, and game play data indicative of game play actions and outcomes for one or more previously played games. The purpose of the meter data is to resolve any player disputes, to ensure that an accurate record of gaming machine revenue is recorded for tax purposes, and to provide a mechanism for game operators to monitor the performance of a game.
The meter data is stored in the gaming machine until requested by a game accounting system, and when this occurs the accounting data is retrieved from the gaming machine so as to enable a game operator to reconcile the actual credits received by the gaming machine with the metered credit amount.
A similar system is provided for gaming machines arranged to selectively implement several dedicated games, i.e. multi-game gaming machines. With this arrangement, the gaming machine is capable of storing meter data relating to all games, and separate meter data relating to each game. Operation with game accounting systems is essentially the same as with a dedicated single gaming machine in that when the gaming machine is requested by a game accounting system to provide meter data the meter data stored at the gaming machine for one or more of the games is supplied to the accounting system.
However, current game accounting systems are relatively unsophisticated, and for gaming machines which are capable of downloading and implementing any one of a potentially large number of games stored on a remote server, it may not be possible with existing gaming machine architectures to save meter data for an indefinite number of games in existing configured meter(s). As a consequence, it is not possible to store or supply a game accounting system with metered data for each separate game on a non-dedicated gaming machine.
Current generation, single game slot machines, because of meter restrictions and the regulatory requirements with respect to metering, may only be able to receive a new downloaded game once each day since the game change results in a RAM clear (meter resets to “0”). It would be advantageous to be able to meter such games such that multiple downloads could occur whilst maintaining metering requirements.
For gaming terminals which can retain and locally meter a set of downloaded games, e.g. 10 games, it would be advantageous to meet metering requirements even though the set may be changed. It would also be advantageous to store meter data at a remote location to provide a back-up for purposes including archival and security as well as provide for business intelligence and remote access to meter data such as by, for example, regulators and manufacturers.