Patent ID: 8535158

Claim:
A method for implementing a networked gaming system comprising: operating a plurality of gaming machines each having a magnetic card reader that accepts a player-identification card having a magnetic stripe, wherein each gaming machine enables a user to play a base game, and wherein each gaming machine is selectively enabled to enable a rewards-qualified user to play one or more system games; operating a rewards server coupled to the plurality of gaming machines by a network to provide one or more system games to the plurality of gaming machines; identifying a user at one of the plurality of gaming machines by using the magnetic card reader to read the magnetic stripe of the player-identification card; identifying at the rewards server the user as a rewards-qualified user, wherein identifying the user as a rewards-qualified user causes authorizing debit of an account of the rewards-qualified user at the rewards server for play of a system game and initiation of system game play, upon successful qualification for a rewards mode involving at least another of the plurality of gaming machines; initiating at the rewards server a system game history ID reflective of transactions of the system game; sending over the network a record of the authorizing and the system game history ID to one or more of the plurality of gaming machines from the rewards server when the system game is initiated; sending results of the system game played at one or more of the plurality of gaming machines to the rewards server with the system game history ID; authorizing via the rewards server an award to the rewards-qualified user; receiving at the rewards server from the rewards-qualified user a request to pay the award; determining at the rewards server the award exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein the threshold is based on a jurisdictional requirement for payment; and requesting manual payment of the award.