Patent ID: 8920231

Claim:
A method for controlling the operation and configuration of an electronic game terminal, comprising the steps of: receiving a passcode for activating plays on the electronic game terminal generated by an electronic game service provider computer, wherein the passcode is generated based, at least in part, on a unique electronic game terminal identifier; entering the passcode into a control component operating on a game processor for the electronic game terminal; automatically setting, by the game processor, a maximum number of electronic games that can be played at each of a plurality of levels of play before the electronic game terminal is deactivated, wherein each level of play represents a different monetary denomination; dynamically determining, by the game processor, a number of games remaining on the electronic game terminal for a plurality of players at each of the plurality of levels of play following each play of the electronic game, wherein the number of games remaining at each level of play varies nonlinearly based on a cumulative number of games previously played at each level of play; automatically deactivating the electronic game terminal, by the game processor, if there are no games remaining to be played; sending a request for a new passcode to the electronic game service provider computer to refill the game plays on the electronic game terminal, the request including the unique electronic game terminal identifier; determining a fee to charge for each refill of electronic game plays based upon an accrued license fee for the plurality of games played at each level of play during a preceding license period; and receiving a new passcode generated based, at least in part, on the unique electronic game terminal identifier for reactivating game plays on the electronic game terminal, from the electronic game service provider, wherein the new passcode, when entered into the control component, can automatically enable or disable at least one feature of the electronic game.