Patent ID: 8444481

Claim:
A method, comprising: monitoring, by a processor of a computing device operable to facilitate an online game, a game play session of a player, wherein game play requires electronic credits to be available to the player for use in the game; determining an occurrence of a predetermined event during the game play session, wherein the predetermined event is not an outcome of a game conducted on a gaming device but is rather an indication that the player may be desirous of additional electronic credits; determining an offer to output to the player by determining a number of electronic credits to offer to the player, the offer comprising an offer to loan the number of electronic credits to the player during the game play session; causing, in response to the occurrence and after determining the offer, the offer to be output to the player during the game play session, the offer being output via a display for outputting game information to the player during the game play session; determining whether the player has accepted the offer; only if the player has accepted the offer, adding the number of electronic credits to a credit meter balance of the game play session, wherein the electronic credits are added to the credit meter balance without the player having first provided, payment or a financial account identifier to use for obtaining payment therefore, thereby causing a number of loaned electronic credits to be added to the credit meter balance; determining at least one use limit to be imposed on usage of the loaned electronic credits; and causing an enforcement of the at least one use limit in authorizing usage of the loaned credits by the player.