Patent ID: 7316616

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: a plurality of gaming units coupled to a data network, each gaming unit having a configuration for executing a game application enabling a player to play a game of chance on the gaming unit, a configuration of the gaming system defined by the plurality of gaming unit configurations; a memory device storing a license parameter paired with a corresponding license parameter value of a license for determining access to the gaming system configuration, the license applicable to the plurality of gaming units; a monitoring apparatus separate from the gaming units and including the memory device, the monitoring apparatus coupled to the data network to monitor the plurality of gaming units, the monitoring apparatus including a processor programmed to: i) compare a real-time parameter value with the license parameter value, the real-time parameter value determined from a current configuration of the plurality of gaming unit configurations, ii) determine that the gaming system configuration is not in compliance with the license when the real-time parameter exceeds the license parameter value, and iii) when the gaming system configuration is not in compliance with the license, prevent reconfiguration of the gaming system configuration without interrupting game play on the gaming units.