NL1017104C2 - On line gaming, especially for on line gambling, requires players to register and open special account with financial institution containing pre paid sum of money - Google Patents

Abstract

The gaming process takes into account rules relating to age and identification and comprises the following steps : (a) an aspiring player sends their personal details to the organiser ; (b) the organiser asks the aspiring player to show a valid proof of identification to an authorised intermediary, the aspiring player fills in an identification form and the aspiring player signs for a personal identification code assigned to them ; (c) the aspiring player sends a signed registration form to the organiser agreeing to the terms and conditions of the game ; (d) the organise compares the information obtained in step (c) with that obtained in steps (a) and (b), and if the aspiring player has agreed to the terms and conditions of the game they are accepted as a fully fledged player ; and (e) a financial institution opens a special account which the player has to pay a pre-determined sum of money into, and at the same time the players maximum limit is established. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) Method for participating on-line in a game of chance played using the above gaming process; (2) Arrangements for carrying out the on-line gaming process and the method for participating in it; and (3) Combination of a self-copying registration form and integral reply envelope for an aspiring form to register his or her participation in the gaming process.

Description

Short description: Method and system for realizing on-line participation in a (chance) game.

The invention relates to a method for realizing taking into account on-line participation in a game organized by an organizer (casino), in particular chance-play, taking into account the rules regarding age and identification.

There is a widespread need for the possibility of taking part in an online game of chance organized by a reliable organization, such as a reputable casino. This is because access to the usual casino is still fairly high threshold (explaining the flourishing of illegal low threshold gambling tents), there is no casino at all in many cities and modern people need the convenience of living from their own living space and seated for its own PC or WP telephone and the like, in anonymity may be a gamble. However: on the basis of the legal requirements that are imposed on the visit of a casino, in particular the necessity to identify and determine the age of the player, it is legal to make money playing games of chance on-line a specific problem which up to No good solution has yet been found.

This does not mean that the state of the art has no proposals concerning on-line gambling: for example, reference is made to the recent US patent 5800268 which, however, includes a proposal that in most countries, and certainly not in the Netherlands, does not lead to legally playing games of chance because it does not offer a solution to the two main problems that must be solved before playing games of chance online, namely: unambiguously determining that the person registering for a game of chance is over 18 years old , determining the identity of the person registering.

101710 * -2-

An additional problem relates to ensuring that winnings and losses are transferred securely and uncontrollably to the player or a game organizer (casino).

The method proposed according to the invention provides a solution for these problems. According to the invention, it comprises: a (first) preparation step in which a prospective participant communicates his personal data to the organizer; a (second) identification step in which the organizer assigns a personal identification code to the prospective participant via a duly authorized intermediary against the latter showing a valid proof of identity, completing an identification form and signing a receipt becomes unambiguously familiar with his identity and personal data; a (third) registration step in which the prospective participant grants the organizer a registration form or featherwear agreement statement signed for approval; a (fourth) verification step in which the organizer compares the information received in the third step with the information obtained in the first and second steps and, upon approval, in principle accepts the prospective participant as a fully-fledged participant; and a (fifth) financing step in which a specialized account is opened at a financing institution for the benefit of the participant, into which a predetermined amount must be deposited by the participant and at which step a game maximum corresponding to the deposited amount is determined .

With the steps described above, as will be explained in the following, a clear link is obtained between the data known to the organizer (the casino) and a person logging in to the organizer's website. With these steps, the main legal conditions that apply to playing for money in a casino are met.

The aforementioned intermediary can be a mail delivery person, a courier but can also be, for example, an authorized tobacco goods seller or a local postal agency so that it is always ensured that prospective participants can go through the registration procedure in an easy way for them.

Preferably in the fifth step the participant agrees with the condition that during the online play of a game the organizer can dispose of the relevant account for settling profit and loss. In this way it is assured that the settlement can take place at any time without malpractice on the part of the player.

Increased security is obtained when the organizer provides the participant with a code generating device as described in claim 3. Such a code generating device is known per se and is the subject of the older, non-prepublished Dutch patent application 1016736 in the name of Applicant.

Participation of a game of chance on-line, using the steps described above, preferably comprises: logging in by the participant on the organisation's game website while introducing the identification code obtained from the organizer; entering the game code selected or generated by the player; settling both profit and loss during the game with the balance on the special account and monitoring it; and settling the game result at the end of each game or game session between player and organizer.

Increased security is achieved if the game information flow is run separately from the financial settlement information flow.

The invention further provides a system for carrying out the method described above as defined in claims 5 to 8.

Furthermore, the requested exclusive right relates to an assembly as defined in claims 9 to 11. With such an assembly, a reliable registration procedure, in particular the unambiguous availability of the personal and other data of the aspi-rant player, insured.

10 17104 -4-

The invention is explained with reference to the drawing. In the drawing: Fig. 1 shows a flow chart of the steps of the first part of the registration procedure according to the invention; Fig. 2a in front view and Fig. 2b in cross section an envelope assembly used in this procedure; Fig. 3 shows a detail of Fig. 2b on an enlarged scale; Fig. 4 is an illustration of a push-through form used in the procedure; Fig. 5 shows a flow chart of the steps of the second part of the registration procedure; Fig. 6 is a flow chart of the steps of the game procedure; Fig. 7 shows the diagram of the interconnections of the system components; Fig. 8 a virtual playing field.

The method and system according to the invention provide a solution for a number of essential problems such as those in many countries associated with a completely oh-line playing of games of chance, namely: - the unambiguous determination of the identity (personal data including age) of an aspiring person; player, - the reliable registration of a prospective player with the organizer (on-line casino) as a player, - the secure and secure login of a player via a transmission medium such as internet or WAP telephone connection or other mobile medium with the organizer ( the casino), in such a way that it is certain that the participating player is indeed the one who, having been identified, has gone through the sign-up procedure, and - ensuring that any profit is paid out without delay at the end of a game to the player, and also to pay, without delay, a possible loss of the player to the casino without the player being able to pay it. n influence resp. obstruct.

The procedure proposed according to the invention comprises a sign-on step which is explained with reference to the flow chart according to fig. 1. Although it is of course conceivable that an aspiring player should sign up at a casino in person, this will rather The exception is the rule: experience has shown that the usual casino still has a very high access threshold for the average citizen, which fact partly explains the persistent presence of many illegal gambling tents. Moreover, not everyone has a casino in the immediate vicinity. The preference is therefore for an approach in which an aspiring participant does not have to report personally to a casino, but in which use is made of the mediation of public services such as the post delivery service or a courier service. Especially older people, less mobile people and those who do not live in a big city will prefer this.

In the step 1 shown in Fig. 1, a prospective player as a new player approaches the organizer, hereinafter referred to as an online casino, with the announcement that he is interested in admission as an online player. He also provides his date of birth as essential. Since the player wants to go on-line, this approach will usually be done on-line via the website of the casino.

20 In step 2 the casino checks whether the specified age is higher than the legally prescribed minimum playing age (for example 18 years) so that the prospective player is in principle legally entitled to play money for gambling. If the answer is affirmative, in step 3 the player is provided with a minimum of personal data on the basis of which he could in principle be accepted, and to which a registration packet will be sent to him; he is requested to specify a delivery date for this package as it is essential that he receives this package in person and against the presentation of a valid photo ID to the delivering person (mailman or courier). This registration package also contains the terms and conditions of the casino and a return envelope. This sending is accompanied by the presentation of a special master or identification code to be determined by the casino to the prospective participant.

To send this registration package to the prospective participant, use is made of a special envelope assembly which is shown in Figs. 2a, 2b and 3.

This special envelope assembly 20 comprises in the usual manner a front surface 22 made of paper and a rear surface 24 and a flap 26 to be sealed. Inside the envelope thus formed is a package 28 consisting of one or more forms 30 and in any case a front form sheet 32, the structure and function of which will be further explained. On the right-hand side of the envelope there is an input form 34, the central part 34a of which is connected via the two tear-off lines 36a, 36b to the end strips 38b, 38b so that the central part 34a can be removed from the form 34, while the end strips 38a , 38b remain on the envelope surface 22.

The special feature of the assembly thus described lies in the fact that the inner surface 22a of the front sheet 22 and the front surface 32a of the front sheet 32 associated with the assembly 28 are prepared such that, in combination, they form a push-through assembly, and thus have such properties have that when pressure is exerted on a certain location on the front side of the sheet 22 - as indicated in Fig. 3c by a depression 36 on both the inner part 34 of the form 34 and the front sheet 22 of the envelope , whereby a local contact occurs between the surfaces 22a and 32a, a visible mark is formed on the surface 32a. Thus, describing the inner portion 34a of the form 34 has the effect that the written text also appears on the sheet 32 located within the envelope 20. Paper prepared in this way is known per se; the upper sheet is thereby coated with a suspension of very small ink balls that break open under pressure so that the contents can chemically react with the coating on the underlying sheet, resulting in a visible mark. This type of paper, also called self-copying paper, is marketed as IDEM paper by the 35 Bührmann company. The obtained effect of all this is explained later with reference to Fig. 4.

According to the invention, the procedure is now as follows:

In step 5, the postman or courier reports to the prospective player at the agreed place and time. He asks him to show a driver's license, a passport or other proof of identity (of course valid and provided with a recent passport photo), and after unambiguous identification, the middle plane 34a of the form 34 is filled in: date of birth (position 44), driver's license number (position 46 ) or passport number (position 48) or, if another valid proof of identity is used, the details thereof in position 50; and in position 52 its validity period 10 is indicated. Finally, the prospective participant signs the form 34 in position 54. The orderer completes the form by entering the date in position 56 and initialing it. The ordering party then tears off the central part 34 of the form 34a and returns it to the casino. Step 5 is thus completed.

The prospective player has thus come into possession of registration forms, the general purpose of which is shown in Fig. 4. This form thus contains an overprint 34b of the central portion 34a of form 34 with the filled-in and pushed-through positions 44-56 . The field 34c contains the sections 1 to 8, the intention of which is obvious - the maximum credit possibility (section 5), the game limit (section 6) and the possibility for the player to establish a personal identification code are important. (section 8, discussed below). Furthermore, this registration package will contain the general gaming conditions of the casino on a separate sheet not shown. This form also contains the master code 42.

Thus - step 6 - over time the organizing casino of the mail delivery person has received back the central part 34a removed from the envelope, which carries the entered data, and also has the forms 32a and 32b of the prospective returned and signed the information package on which, in addition to the signature, (position 66) also the fields 60a and 60b contain the data as it is pushed through from the central form part 34a. The various data thus obtained are compared with each other and with the personal data obtained in step 1 and, if everything is approved, the procedure continues in step 7.

Prior to a discussion thereof, it is noted that, in order to guarantee optimum safety when playing, according to the invention it is preferably provided that the player is not only characterized by the master code 42 determined by the casino, but that he is also always, if he has logged in to the on-line casino, must enter a play or release code for each game session consisting of a minimum number of 10 (for example six) alphanumeric characters and / or symbols such as numbers, lowercase and uppercase letters, one of which is always limited number, with a total of six, for example four, being fixed and the remaining, for example two, always wishing to play a new game, have to be regenerated on the basis of starting code characters provided by the casino. The fixed code characters can be selected by the user himself and are then mentioned by him in the form field 34c (section 8) and thus passed on to the casino upon registration; however, in order to increase his safety, he can also leave it to the casino to compile this code for him (rubric (8), possibility of court). For compiling this fixed part of the release code and for determining the remaining code characters to be determined again for each game, use is preferably made of a code generating device as described in Dutch patent application 1016736, n. applicant and which, in short, consists of a carrier for a number of, for example, two, movable adjustment slides which can be placed in a certain position on the basis of instructions provided by the casino and then, as a result of the instruction, for a read window. show code character. This device, hereinafter to be referred to as a code card, is made available to the player by the casino and, preferably, this made available is outsourced to the bank for which the player has expressed his preference (section 5) and in which the casino will organize the opening of a special account for the player. The advantage of this is that an additional check on the identity of the prospective player is thus built in. The bank must, as is known, adhere to the legally prescribed and its own procedures in this regard.

How the rest of the sign-up process proceeds is indicated in the flow chart according to Fig. 5. In step 8 the organizing casino contacts the bank indicated by the prospective player with regard to opening an account in the name of the player concerned; this account can be used as a normal account, but when the account is used for the online playing of a game of chance, two essential conditions - with which the player must agree - must be met: the balance must be sufficient to cover the agreed gaming limit and the casino has unlimited access to the account for the duration of a game to have it deducted from any amounts due to it, in other words: the casino is at all times in a position to charge its future amounts from the debit account; the player cannot prevent this.

In step 8 all this is arranged and in step 9 the player (according to the procedure described here) is personally present at the bank to control the opening of his account and possibly to receive the code card. Here too, a verification of the personal data and an identification takes place so that an additional security is built in.

If the player prefers the first characters of his player code to be determined by means of the code card and on the basis of the instructions provided by the casino, this is done in step 10; when the player himself has determined the first, fixed, fixed part of the player code, this step is canceled. Of course it is also difficult for the casino to determine this code once.

The player has now been accepted by the on-line casino as a full-fledged player and the various steps of on-line play are shown in the flow chart of FIG. 6.

In step 11, the player logs on to the website of the on-line casino in the usual manner, stating his master code. In step 12, the casino provides instructions for compiling the total release or game code applicable to the game in question, in fact the variable code characters required in addition to the fixed code characters to form the total game code. Here too, use is preferably made of the device as described in the above-mentioned Dutch patent application 1016736 in the name of the applicant. In step 13 the player has entered his game code, indicated which game he wishes to play and the casino-bank connection is open so that the casino can immediately settle a profit or loss; this connection cannot be influenced by the player and is only closed once the game has ended. This is symbolically shown in Fig. 7: this figure shows how the player 70 is connected via the internet connection 72 to the website 74 of the on-line casino which in turn is connected to the data via the data connection 76 and control system of the bank 78. In this connection is included the controlled block 80 which would normally be in the blocking land - but was opened during the playing of a game from the casino 74 and not controlled by the player.

The advantages of the presence of two separate connections: on the one hand for playing the game (line 72) and on the other hand for the financial settlement (76) are: the player does not have to provide financial data (e.g. credit card details) via a public line or via the line on which the game information also relates; even when the game information line (72) is broken into, a possible hacker cannot derive any financial benefit from it; after all, winnings are credited to the account of the original player via the independent second line (76)! Loss is limited to the agreed game limit.

To play a game itself, the player can get on his screen a tableau of the kind shown in Fig. 8, in fact a digital version of a game of chance that is frequently found "live" in casinos. For online play there are the following extra features:

The last position of the bank balance is continuously indicated in field 82; the field 84 indicates the game limit set by the player himself, while the field 8 6 indicates the course of loss or win during the game. The field 88 forms a "stop and pay out" field: clicking it causes the game to be stopped and the profit or loss to be settled. Finally, the total of the available play money is displayed in the field 90,

The playing itself is symbolized in step 14. As mentioned, the connection between the bank and casino is open during the entire duration of the game, so that settlement can be made from moment to moment.

This connection is only closed, as shown in step 15, after the game and / or connection 72 have been terminated and the settlement with the casino has taken place. Thus: even if the player in case of a win or loss breaks the connection 72 prematurely or this connection gets into disagreement, the casino still has the possibility to settle the game profit or loss with the bank.

i; Ü 1 7 1 0 4

Claims (12)

Method for realizing taking account of age and identification rules on-line participation in a game organized by an organizer (casino), in particular game of chance, comprising: a (first) preparation step in which an aspiring participant mer communicates his personal data to the organizer; a (second) identification step in which the organizer assigns a personal identification code to the prospective participant via a duly authorized intermediary against the latter showing a valid proof of identity, completing an identification form and signing a receipt becomes unambiguously familiar with his identity and personal data; a (third) registration step in which the prospective participant submits to the organizer a registration form signed for approval ........ respectfully ..... conditionsakköóirdvëf 'declaration; a (fourth) verification step in which the organizer compares the information received in the third step with the information obtained in the first and second steps and, upon approval, in principle accepts the prospective participant as a fully-fledged participant; and a (fifth) financing step in which a specialized account is opened at a financing institution for the benefit of the participant, into which a predetermined amount must be deposited by the participant and at which step a game maximum corresponding to the deposited amount is determined . Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that in the fifth step the participant agrees with the condition that during the online play of a game the organizer can dispose of the relevant account for settling profit and loss. 3. Method as claimed in claims 1-2, wherein the organizer provides the participant a code-generating device for generating a variable (first) code communicated to the participant in a fixed (y) variable to a participant. the second identification code known to the organizer and associated. Method for participating in a game of chance on-line using the method steps according to claims 1-3, comprising: logging in by the participant on the game website of the organization while introducing the identification code obtained from the organizer; entering the game code selected or generated by the player; settling both profit and loss during the game with the balance on the special account and monitoring it; and settling the game result at the end of each game or game session between player and organizer. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the financial settlement information flow is made via a channel separate from the game information channel. A system for performing the method according to claims 1-5, characterized by 20. data transfer means operative between an aspiring game participant and a game organizer; - identification and data transfer means for the unambiguous identification of a prospective participant and the communication thereof to an identification code provided by the organizer; 25. means of comparison and verification for comparing by the organizer the information provided by a candidate with the identification information obtained by the organizer; a financing file at a financing institution for the benefit of the participant. 7. System as claimed in claims 5-6, characterized by control means acting on the financing file, operating such that during the online play of a game the organizer can have unlimited access to the relevant account. 8. System as claimed in claims 5-7, characterized by separate data transmission means of, on the one hand, the game information and, on the other hand, the financial settlement information. 9. System as claimed in claims 7-8, characterized by a code generator device to be provided by the organizer to a participant for generating in response to a variable (first) code communicated by the organizer to the participant a fixed, associated coherence with the second identification code known to the organizer. An assembly comprising a casing and a sheet to be inserted therein to be inserted by pressure action, characterized in that of a surface of the casing the inner surface and of the sheet the surface abutting against it are prepared such that the local application pressure on the outer surface of the respective envelope surface and hence on the prepared surface of the sheet results in the appearance of a readable print on this surface. An assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that the envelope forms an envelope. An assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that the envelope part to be described is covered by a removable strip to be written with the desired characters. 1017104