Patent ID: 6935957

Claim:
A method for on-line or off-line validation of gaming pay-out vouchers dispensed from an electronic gaming machine, said method comprising the steps of: receiving voucher identification information at a wireless, portable computer device, said voucher identification information corresponding to a pay-out voucher dispensed from an electronic gaming machine; transmitting, over a wireless connection, a voucher validation request from the wireless, portable computer device to a remote wireless interface, said remote wireless interface connected to a central network computer; conveying the voucher validation request from the remote wireless interface to the central network computer; attempting to retrieve a voucher record in a voucher database based upon said voucher identification information; confirming, if said voucher record was retrieved, that the corresponding pay-out voucher has not yet been paid based on payment information in said voucher record, and transmitting, via said remote wireless interface, a voucher pay-out approval from said central network computer to said wireless, portable computer device if the pay-out voucher was not yet paid, or else a voucher pay-out disapproval if the pay-out voucher was already paid; displaying, if said voucher record was retrieved, an indication of said voucher pay-out approval or voucher pay-out disapproval on-screen at said wireless, portable computer device; transmitting, if said voucher record could not be retrieved, a voucher record unavailable indication from said central network computer, via said remote wireless interface, to said wireless, portable computer device; receiving said voucher record unavailable indication at said wireless, portable computer device and, in response thereto, displaying a message; receiving a voucher amount via a user interface of said wireless, remote computer device after displaying said message; transmitting said voucher amount and said voucher identification information, via said wireless interface, to said central network computer from said wireless, portable computer device; and preparing a voucher database reconciliation record at said central network computer for updating said voucher database at a subsequent time to reflect that the pay-out voucher has been paid.