Patent ID: 8216059

Claim:
A gaming system that redeems a printed credit device printed by a printing service provider for a predetermined face value redeemable for credit for play at a gaming machine in a gaming system, the printed credit device comprising information thereon that relates to a conditional usage requirement for use of the printed credit device within the gaming system, the gaming system comprising: at least one gaming machine that includes an external cabinet defining an interior region of the gaming machine, the external cabinet adapted to house a plurality of gaming machine components, a display device adapted to display game play information, the display device being located within or about the external cabinet, and a scanner configured to read information from the printed credit device when the printed credit device is provided to the scanner, the scanner being located within or about the external cabinet; a host that comprises a processing system configured to a) store information regarding the printed credit device, b) verify the identity of the of the printing services provider and that a confirmation has been received from the printing services provider confirming that said provider printed the printed credit device and that the credit device is authorized as printed, c) verify whether the conditional usage requirement on the printed credit device is fulfilled; and d) permit value on the printed credit device to be redeemed at the gaming machine after the print confirmation has been received and the fulfillment of the conditional usage requirement has been verified; and a communication link permitting information to be transmitted between the at least one gaming machine and the host.