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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. An on-line wagering system, comprising:
a central data processor having a central data memory;
a plurality of agent terminals in data communication with the central data
processor, the agent terminals being operable to receive player entry data
from players and to transmit the player entry data to the central data
processor, the central data processor being operable to validate play
entries upon receipt of the player entry data and to transmit a validation
code to the agent terminals, the player entry data relating to an entry of
an individual player in at least one game, the agent terminals having
inputs for receiving the player entry data and input/output means for
transmitting to the central data processor at least a portion of the
player entry data and for receiving the validation data therefrom; and,
a player card issued to the player, the player card being connectable in
data communication with at least one of the agent terminals, said at least
one of the agent terminals having alternate inputs for receiving at least
a portion of the player entry data directly from the card, the alternate
inputs being adapted to interface with the player card, the player card
having an on-card memory formed by one of: magnetic media; integrated
circuit; and, laser optical memory, and operable to store data unique to
said individual player and also to store at least one of the player entry
data and the validation code.
2. The on-line wagering system of claim 1, further comprising programmable
means on the player card for representing incremental value tokens, the
tokens being decremented upon entry of the individual player in the at
least one game.
3. The on-line wagering system of claim 1, further comprising security
means on the player card preventing unauthorized alteration of data stored
on the card, the security means detecting unauthorized attempted access to
data on the player card.
4. The on-line wagering system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the
on-board memory of the player card and the central memory of the central
data processor are operable to store a history of play entries of the
particular player and a plurality of validation codes received from the
central processor, and further comprising means operable to read the
validation data for verification of wins.
5. The on-line wagering system of claim 4, wherein the player card includes
a unique indicia representing a player to whom the card is issued.
6. The on-line wagering system of claim 3, wherein the player card has
stored means representing an account balance and the security means is
operable to detect attempted unauthorized changing of the balance.
7. The on-line wagering system of claim 3, wherein the central data
processor includes a player data memory for storage of at least some of
said data unique to said one of the players, said data unique to said one
of the players being read from the player card by the agent terminal and
transmitted to the central data processor by the agent terminal, whereby
patterns of plays of individual players can be analyzed at the central
data processor.
8. The on-line wagering system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the
player data memory of the central data processor and the on-board memory
of the player card store demographic data relating to the individual
player.
9. The on-line wagering system of claim 8, wherein the demographic data and
the play history data are accessible for transmission from the player card
to the central data processor upon each play of said individual player.
10. The on-line wagering system of-claim 8, wherein the demographic data
and the play history data are read from the player card by the agent
terminal and transmitted to the central data processor upon at least one
of initiation of a play, addition of incremental value to the player card
and retirement of the player card.
11. The on-line wagering system of claim 8, wherein the demographic data is
stored at the central data processor and only the data unique to the
individual player is read from the player card by the agent terminal and
transmitted to the central data processor.
12. An on-line wagering system, comprising:
a plurality of agent terminals operable to accept data relating to play
entries in a game, the agent terminals having keyboard input means for
accepting the data and a printer operable to produce a printed receipt
confirming initiation of a play in the game, at least some of the agent
terminals further comprising means for receiving player cards;
at least one central data processor in data communication with the agent
terminals, the data processor receiving at least a part of the data
relating to a given play entry from a given agent terminal and
transmitting to said agent terminal a code indicating that the data
relating to the play entry has been validated; and,
said player cards being uniquely issued to players of the game, the player
cards each having on-card data storage formed by one of: magnetic media;
integrated circuit; and, laser optical memory, and, the on-card data
storage containing data unique to an individual player stored upon issue
of the card to the player, said data unique to the player being
transmitted from the agent terminal to the data processor.
13. The on-line wagering system of claim 12, wherein the player card
further comprises programmable means representing value tokens activated
upon receipt of payment from a player and deactivated during initiation of
play entries.
14. The on-line wagering system of claim 12, wherein said player
demographic data includes at least one of name, address, age and gender.
15. The on-line wagering system of claim 12, wherein the standard play
choices include at least one of player number choices in a random number
lottery game and patterns of player entries for a plurality of lottery
games.
16. The on-line wagering system of claim 12, wherein the player card
further comprises means for accepting manual input from the player and
means for displaying selected data.
17. An on-line wagering system, comprising:
a central data processor having central data memory;
a plurality of agent terminals in data communication with the central data
processor, the agent terminals being operable to receive player entry data
from players and to transmit the player entry data to the central data
processor, the central data processor being operable to validate play
entries upon receipt of the player entry data and to transmit a validation
code to the agent terminals, the player entry data relating to an entry of
an individual player in at least one game, the agent terminals having
inputs for receiving the player entry data and input/output means for
transmitting to the central data processor at least a portion of the
player entry data and for receiving the validation data therefrom; and,
an operator card issued to a retail agent, the agent card being connectable
in data communications with at least one of the agent terminals for the
purpose of authorizing use of said at least one of the agent terminals,
the operator card having an on-card memory formed by one of: magnetic
media; integrated circuit; and, laser optical memory, and operable to
store data unique to said individual operator.
18. The on-line wagering system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the
on-board memory of the operator card and the central memory of the central
data processor are operable to store a history of the operator access to
the retail terminal and a plurality of validation codes received from the
central processor, and further comprising means operable to read the
validation data for verification of authorization of transactions.
19. The on-line wagering system of claim 17, wherein in addition to agent
cards, a player card issued to the player, the player card being
connectable in data commumication with at least one of the agent
terminals, said at least one of the agent terminals having alternate
inputs for receiving a portion of the player entry data directly from the
card, the alternate inputs being adapted to interface with the player
card, the player card having an on-card memory operable to store data
unique to said individual player and also to store at least one of the
player entry data and the validation code. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of on-line wagering systems of the type
in which a number of agent terminals in data communication with a central
data processor manage the acceptance and validation of play entries and
operator security in games of chance or skill. The players, for example,
guess the outcome of unpredictable events, and the correct or most nearly
correct entrants share a prize. The operators, for example, activate the
transaction of the play data to the central processor and manage the
accounting and reporting transactions necessary to balance payments to and
from an administration department. In particular, the invention relates to
an improved on-line wagering system of this type, wherein player entries
(past and present), payment, operator security data, play validation and
storage of information regarding the identities and demographics of
individual players are managed by means of memory cards issued to the
individual players and terminal operators, the memory cards being
interfaced with the agent terminals when a player enters a game or when an
operator initiates a transaction.
2. Prior Art
User-carried information storage cards are known in connection with
identification functions and as means to manage debiting and crediting of
customers' financial accounts. Cards range from passive memory storage
means in which a magnetic strip affixed to a thin plastic card stores
digital data such as the player's account number and current balance,
through laser memory cards used to track personal medical data, to more
sophisticated devices in which an integrated circuit and memory are
embedded in a card, the card in each case being substantially the same
dimensions as a familiar plastic credit card. Such more sophisticated
cards are convenient when dealing with payment of money, although magnetic
strip cards provide substantially the same function. When using the
integrated circuit card, the customer's current account balance is
recorded on the card and a corrected balance is written after reading and
debiting the current balance to account for purchases and the like. The
integrated circuit card functions as a portable means for storing indicia
representing value.
User carried cards also are known for identification purposes. The cards
each carry a unique customer code such as an identity code or account
number, that can be easily read by electronic equipment such as a security
gate apparatus, credit card reader or an automatic bank teller machine.
Frequently, the user must manually enter a second code that is matched to
the account number, etc. A central data processor at the bank, credit
company or the like handles storage of variable information such as the
remaining credit or current account value. This type of card is a
read-only device that allows the carrier access to the premises or
account.
User-carried cards for identification purposes are shown, for example, in
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,575,621-Dreifus; 4,459,075-Saada et al;
4,491,725-Pritchard; 4,501,960-Jouvet et al; 4,373,134-Grace et al; and,
4,544,834-Newport et al. These patents, in varying levels of
sophistication, disclose details by which information can be stored on a
card and used for identification purposes including handling sales of
products or services without the need for cash or other forms of
electronic information transfer.
Some general purpose means including cards adapted to store information are
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,796-Aigo; 4,532,419-Takeda, and
4,004,133-Hannan et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,011-Guillou discloses a card
specifically adapted for subscribing to a video script processing system.
The disclosures of the foregoing patents relating to structural and
functional attributes of user-carried memory devices are incorporated
herein. One can also refer to currently available smart card products, for
example, those of Microcard Technology Incorporated, 14070 Proton Road,
Dallas, Tex. 75244. In addition, one can refer to currently available
magnetic strip card products, for example, those of Sillcocks Plastics
International, Inc., Berksley Heights, N.J. and currently available laser
cards, for example, those of Drexler Technology Inc., Mountain View,
Calif. Notwithstanding this variety of uses for financial and
identification cards, systems and devices to date have not adapted memory
card technology to the peculiar needs of on-line wagering systems.
Wagering systems known to date have not been adapted to take advantage of
the capabilities, over and above simple account-storing or
user-identifying cards, that become possible in an on-line wagering system
having memory card means for alternative inputs and outputs to the agent
terminals, in addition to or instead of inputs and outputs used
traditionally.
A typical prior art on-line wagering system includes a plurality of agent
terminals dispersed throughout a geographical area, each one in at least
occasional data communication with a central system data processor, for
example, by radio or telephone lines, or by downloading a stored record of
transactions. Communications can be encrypted for transmission of critical
data such as win indicia in an "instant" game in which the agent terminal
is adapted to immediately issue a validated play card, for example with a
scratch-off surface removed by the user to reveal card win indicia.
Operator security is typically limited to password controls, where many
operators at a single retail location may have knowledge of the password.
In many games the player guesses the occurrence of random or at least
unpredictable events, such as the drawing of numbers, the outcome of
sporting events and the like. Before approaching the agent terminal the
user according to the prior art makes hand written entries on an entry
card having printed boxes or similar areas to be marked for selecting
among different numbers, contestants or other indicia which may become the
winning entry. A user may be required, for example, to choose and mark six
correct numbers from forty possible numbers for each individual entry.
This marked entry card is read at the agent terminal, for example using
optical mark sensing equipment, and the agent terminal transmits the data
to the central lottery computer, which validates the data and returns a
validation code to the agent terminal. The agent terminal then prints a
validation receipt as proof of an entry, which is carried by the user and
eventually compared to winning numbers published or otherwise disseminated
when a winner is picked. Alternatively, keyboard entry means at the agent
terminals can be used to select play entry data, or to select generation
of random numbers if the user so chooses.
Many users repeat their entry numbers or other patterns of playing data
every time they play. These patterns might be, for example, particular
numbers such as birthdays, social security numbers, license tag numbers or
other arbitrarily-chosen numbers or patterns which a user regards as
lucky. Users who repeat their patterns must complete a mark sense entry
for every play or explain to the operator of the agent terminal the
particular data and/or data pattern desired. In many on-line wagering
systems, particularly in Europe, every play entry of every wagering game
must be accompanied by the user's name and address, as a means to
facilitate payment of winnings and to provide marketing data to
management. The user must enter this data for each entry card. For repeat
pattern players, it is quite tedious to complete their entry forms, which
is a disincentive to play. Some agents even keep card files near their
terminals for reference when entering play data, as a service for their
regular repeat pattern players.
On-line wagering system managers in most cases have very little information
about the players. Mark-sensed entry cards in those systems where entries
must include users' names and addresses could be collected and analyzed to
determine playing patterns and demographics from the addresses given by
entrants, and possibly to determine their likely gender based upon their
first names. However, complete data necessary to analyze demographic
particulars of players is practically not available according to a typical
on-line wagering system. Similarly, the individual playing history of a
given player is not available or even possible to generate, except in
name/address entry systems, and even then only with the greatest
difficulty. Therefore, it is not possible to determine statistically the
attribute of persons playing the lottery, their identities and playing
habits, or otherwise to generate data that would assist operators of
on-line wagering systems in marketing their products to specific players
or to specific demographic groups.
A typical memory card as used according to the prior art for access to an
account such as a bank account stores only a few digital data words. The
card stores one or more unique codes (e.g., account numbers and/or
security codes), which are associated by the data processing equipment at
the bank with internal memory records (e.g., the stored account balance).
In connection with a card in which indicia representing increments of
value are stored on the card and are decremented when using the card to
purchase a product or service, there has been no need to store any data
relative to the user. In the latter case, storage of the incremental value
indicia or "tokens" has been sufficient. If the enhanced security provided
by data relative to the user stored on the card is implemented in a
magnetic memory card, the magnetic memory card could function as the
secure data carrier according to the present invention.
According to the present invention, a memory card arrangement for a typical
on-line wagering system substantially improves system convenience for
users, and also permits lottery management to monitor performance and
playing history relative to individual players and/or groups.
Memory cards are available with on-card security means operative to disable
the card in the event unauthorized attempts are made to alter the contents
thereof. The present invention also provides security means operative to
prevent access to the memory card data by managing the data relative to
the user at a central computer facility. According to the present
invention, security capabilities of memory cards and central computer
accounting are employed in order to prevent a user from increasing the
number of token values stored on the card, which under control of a
terminal are incremented upon receipt of payment from the customer, and
decremented upon the customer purchasing an on-line wagering service,
specifically buying a play entry. Either the memory card or the terminal
can control the process of incrementing and/or decrementing the number of
tokens on the memory card. On-card data storage means or terminal control
procedures preferably accept validation codes returned from the central
processing computer of the wagering system, obviating the need for a
printed validation ticket, otherwise required for the user to prove a play
entry. Unscrupulous persons may have an incentive to attempt to increase
playing tokens or to discover a winning validation code and attempt to
claim a prize. However, the memory card according to the system of the
invention is uniquely associated with an individual person. It is not
possible for one person to claim a prize on a play which readily can be
determined by reference to available wagering system data to belong to
another person.
According to the invention, the security of an on-line wagering system can
be further increased by storing an encryption code directly on an
individual user's memory card. This encryption code can be an encryption
key that is uniquely stored on the user's memory card, and not available
through the central data processor except during actual communications
with the agent terminal in which the memory card has been loaded. An
encryption key code, matched to an encryption key code at the central
processor, can be arranged according to algorithms known in the prior art
to encrypt data stored on a memory card such that unscrupulous persons who
attempt to discern data on the card or data transmitted between the
on-line wagering system and the card, would need both the key on the card
and the key in the on-line wagering system central processor. This
arrangement substantially improves security and can be combined with an
on-card security means adapted to disable a card in the event of detected
unauthorized access.
According to the invention additional security can be added to the game by
providing retail terminal operators with individual memory cards that act
an intelligent keys to the transaction. The authority of a particular
operator will be managed both by the control transaction processor and by
the memory card. The operator would be required to provide on-line
identification by means of an operator security card and secret codes
entered into the keyboard.
According to the present invention, an on-line wagering system can be
operated with increased security and decreased expense, without the need
for printed verification receipts, mark sense betting slips or other paper
indicia. Security is enhanced while accuracy and convenience are
increased, with the additional benefit that marketing information becomes
available to operators of the wagering system in a convenient manner that
is easily integrated with wagering system operations
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to employ the benefits of user cards with
on-card data memory in an on-line wagering system characterized by a
plurality of agent terminals communicating play entries with a central
processor.
It is another object of the invention to improve the accuracy, security and
convenience of an on-line wagering system for both users and managers.
It is a further object of the invention to provide terminal operator
electronic identification cards that prohibit multiple users of the same
password and guarantee the traceability of every transaction to a unique
terminal operator.
It is yet another object of the invention to facilitate collection of
marketing information in an on-line wagering system.
It is yet another object of the invention to employ a user-carried memory
card interactive with a wagering system processor to divide responsibility
for duties including data selection, validation and storage, in a manner
that improves accuracy, security and convenience while making marketing
data more accessible for analysis.
It is yet another object of the invention to optimally divide data storage
needs of an on-line wagering system between a centralized system memory
and decentralized memory located on individual user cards employed to
enter play data.
These and other objects are accomplished by an on-line wagering system with
programmable player entry cards, and programmable retail operator cards
including cards having on-card data storage for value tokens and data
uniquely related to a player or agent to whom the card is issued. The
player cards and operator cards are operable in cooperation with the
central system processor as play validation and play entry means in lieu
of mark sense slips, keyboard entry transaction authorizations and printed
validation receipts. Demographic player data uniquely related to the
player is stored on the player card and/or in the central system data
memory and allows correlation of play entries with player demographics. A
plurality of agent terminals in data communication with the central data
processor interface between the central processor and the player and/or
operator cards. The agent terminals preferably also accept traditional
mark sense entry slips and produce printed verification receipts, upon
request.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
There are shown in the drawings certain embodiments that are presently
preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not
limited to the precise arrangement instrumentalities shown. In the
drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an operator security memory card in the
form of an integrated circuit card for use in the according to the
invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a player's memory card in the form of a
magnetic stripe card for use in the system according invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the active memory location of a magnetic
stripe memory card for use in the system to the invention.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the active memory location of a laser
memory card to use in the system according to the invention.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating reading of a memory card
according to the invention into an agent terminal.
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the on-line wagering system,
including a plurality of agent terminals in data communication with a
central processor.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating certain aspects of system operation
according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 illustrates an operator card 10 in the form of a "memory card"
having an on-card data storage means. Information to be stored regarding
an operator, the operator's authorization cards and authorized
transactions history and the like can be stored wholly or partly on the
operator's card 10 and in a central wagering system data memory. The card
10, issued to an individual operator whose name 14 can be printed directly
on the card 10, carries an on-board memory and could include a
microprocessor accessing the memory and conducting programmed data
communication with external devices. A connector area 16 has a plurality
of exposed conductive contacts 18, by which the external devices access
the processor, and the information stored on card 10.
FIG. 2 specifically illustrates a player card 30 having on-card magnetic
data storage means. Information to be stored regarding player's account
number, personal identification number, player payment tokens and the like
can be stored wholly or partly on the player's card 30 and in a central
wagering system data memory. Data can be transferred from the card 30 to
the central wagering system through a reader which is comprised of a
magnetic read head controlled by a wagering terminal. The card 30 is
issued to an individual player whose name 34 can be printed directly on
the card.
FIG. 3 specifically illustrates the active memory area 40 on the reverse
side of card 30.
FIG. 4 specifically illustrates a player card 30 having laser readable area
41 data storage means. This data storage means is principally of the form
Write-Once-Read-Many (WORM). Data can be transferred from the card to the
central wagering system through a reader which is comprised of a laser
reading device substantially the same as that found in audio compact disk
players and CD ROM mass storage devices in use in the computer industry.
Cards 10 and 30 are adapted to interface with reading devices provided in
agent terminal 60, as shown in FIG. 5. In many respects, agent terminal 60
is similar in structure to conventional agent terminals, but also
accommodates memory cards. A keyboard 72 is provided for manual data
entry. A CRT or similar display 68 provides visual feedback to the agent.
Reader mechanism 64 is adapted to receive hand-marked entry slips from
users. Printer 66 is provided for producing printed validated receipts.
According to the invention, however, data entry functions formerly
accomplished by mark sense reader 64 and verification functions formerly
accomplished by printer 66 can be accomplished by direct data
communication with card 10 through reader 62 and with card 30 through
reader 63. Card 30 also enables additional conveniences and functions that
have been unavailable in conventional systems.
Agent terminal 60 includes a read head adapted to interface with memory
media on player's cards 30 or agent cards 10. When a card 30 is drawn
through the read-head, tracking of the transition in the magnetic media
provides self-clocking data reading capability. The data format in the
magnetic media could conform to any of the International Standards,
Organization standards, IEEE standards or ANSI standards for magnetic card
data encoding.
The overall configuration of the on-line wagering system according to the
invention is shown in FIG. 6. Any of a plurality of customer cards 30 or
operator cards 10 can be loaded into each of the agent terminals 60, to
accomplish transfer of data from the cards to the agent terminals and from
the agent terminals to a central system processor 80. Likewise,
communications from the central system processor can be directed to the
agent terminal 60 and then to the customer cards, in order to accomplish
functions such as communications validation of player entries, transfer of
identity information and the like. Preferably, communications between
agent terminal 60 and central processor 80 are over telephone lines or
radio communication links, and can be encrypted as necessary.
The cards 30 and/or 10 can be identical, or can be of certain types having
different capabilities. More sophisticated and expensive cards can be
provided to players who require more operations, with more sophisticated
(and expensive) cards being provided as a promotion to players who store
more value tokens for future plays. Operator cards 10 are preferably
identical to each other, but can be different from player cards 30.
Each of the customer cards preferably stores information respecting a sum
of consideration paid by the customer to the on-line wagering system,
which is reduced by cancellation of incremental tokens wherever the
customer enters a play or otherwise purchases a service. For the
information of the customer, it is possible to outfit the agent terminal
60 to simply read out the current token value sum stored on a given
customer card. The terminal can be programmed upon acceptance of customer
payments to reactivate tokens that have been deactivated when presented as
payment for plays. Alternatively, a separate card maintenance terminal 70
can be provided at certain locations in order to issue customer cards 30,
to add token values, and otherwise to process information. Card
maintenance terminal 70 need not be in real time communication with the
central on-line wagering system processor. Instead, the card maintenance
terminal can produce a tape or other record of transactions, which can be
loaded into the central processor periodically.
Each of the retail operator cards 10 preferably stores information
respecting the agent's account number, location and personal
identification number (PIN). This data is not available to the agent
through the retail terminal 60. To operate the terminal 60, the agent must
read the card 10 in the reader 62 and enter the PIN. Only upon on-line
resolution of the account number on the card and the PIN will the terminal
60 proceed to process a particular transaction.
The central wagering system processor has a certain data memory capacity
and each of the customer cards has a certain data memory capacity.
According to the invention, data used to identify customers, to identify
transactions and in part to manage the operation of the lottery is stored
wholly or partly on the customer cards. This not only reduces time and
storage demands on the central wagering system and its memory, but also
enables new functions not formerly available. There are operational and
security implications to storing portions of the information in one area
or the other. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, both wagering
transaction data and player data are stored at the central processor. In
this case, the customer cards store only unique identifying codes and
token values. Preferably, however, the customer cards carry on-card memory
for a large part of the data relating to the identity of the customer and
the customer's play history. This data preferably includes demographic
data, for example the age, gender, home address of the customer and the
like. If the system is arranged such that the customer card stores a
simple I.D. code, that code is recognized by the central processor and
uniquely correlated with player data stored in a memory section 86. Wager
transaction data, including for example the numbers played by customers, a
sequence number for each transaction and the like, can be stored in the
wager transaction data memory 84.
FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the invention in which play entry data is
stored in memory A, designated by reference numerals 84, 94. A second
memory B, designated by reference numerals 86, 96 stores user-specific
data. As shown in FIG. 9, memories A and B distribute data storage between
the central lottery processor 80 and the cards 10 and 30. The B memory
demographic data in processor 80 preferably is a record of demographic
data of current players, downloaded from cards 30 to a separate storage
area for analysis apart from central on-line wagering operations.
Demographic data analysis using memory 86 is made available by virtue of
storage of this information in connection with issue of card 30 to a given
user. User's can be uniquely tracked and/or the response of groups of
users to wagering system marketing efforts can be monitored without a
great deal of additional data input. Moreover, there is no need for the
central wagering system to maintain a database with demographic
information regarding the millions of users who might wish to play. This
is a substantial benefit to operators of wagering systems, and allows a
management information system to be employed to monitor the successive
promotions, performance of advertising media and the like, without undue
data processing cost and complexity.
In many respects, the embodiment of FIG. 7 is similar to an on-line
wagering system in which users are required to hand-mark written play
entry slips, which are then read by the agent terminal and the data
transmitted to the central processor, which returns a validation code and
causes the agent terminal to print a validation receipt. Preferably, all
the same activities are undertaken in the system according to the
invention as in previous systems. Not all users may play regularly enough
to want their own user card or to be willing to pay for one if they are
sold to users. In the event a user card is employed, the user card will be
issued together with a record of the player's demographic data, preferably
substantially all stored on the card, which data is available when the
card is accessed by an agent terminal.
User identity and demographic analysis is preferably undertaken by
management of the on-line wagering system. Analysis also can proceed, if
desired, at the level of the local agent, i.e., the business operating
terminal 60, whereby the agent can monitor his own customers if desired.
In the event demographic data is stored wholly on the card, or
alternatively if the agent terminal is allowed to access demographic data
in the central system by transmitting a unique user identity code to the
central lottery processor, then the agent as well as the managers of the
wagering system can determine various points of information about the
customers. For example, birth dates, addresses and the like are important
marketing tools for wagering system managers. These same tools may assist
agents, that typically operate separate businesses (e.g., news shops,
liquor stores, etc.) in which the agent terminals are located. The
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