Patent ID: 7993202

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: a first gaming machine configured to accept wagers, present games for game players and grant monetary awards based on the outcomes of such games, said first gaming machine comprising a first external cabinet housing at least one first acceptor adapted to accept at least one first indicia of credit in association with the play of said first gaming machine and at least one first display device adapted to display game play information to a player of said first gaming machine; a first meter configured as a dedicated, remotely located, electromechanical meter that tracks continuously at least one first item of accounting information associated with said first gaming machine, said first meter being located remotely from said first external cabinet and comprising an individual discrete physical device, and wherein said first meter is the official meter for said at least one item of accounting information for said first gaming machine; a first communication link or path between said first meter and said at least one first acceptor; a first cryptographic key assigned to the first meter and used to encrypt communications over the first communication link or path; a second gaming machine configured to accept wagers, present games for game players and grant monetary awards based on the outcomes of such games, said first gaming machine comprising a second external cabinet housing at least one second acceptor adapted to accept at least one second indicia of credit in association with the play of said second gaming machine and at least one second display device adapted to display game play information to a player of said second gaming machine; a second meter configured as a dedicated, remotely located electromechanical meter that tracks continuously at least one second item of accounting information associated with said second gaming machine, said second meter being located remotely from said second external cabinet and in close proximity to said first meter, and wherein said second meter is the official meter for said at least one item of accounting information for said second gaming machine; a second communication link or path between said second meter and said at least one second acceptor; and a second cryptographic key assigned to the second dedicated electromechanical meter and used to encrypt communications over the second communication link or path, wherein a first communication link manager is configured to perform a hashing function verification of firmware associated with the first meter.