Patent ID: 8876608

Claim:
A portable transaction device for tracking a gaming session of an anonymous player, comprising: an input system comprising at least one input device, the input system configured to accept manually entered player characterization data and wagering location data; an interface system comprising at least one wireless interface configured for communication with a central system; a display system comprising at least one display device; and a logic system comprising at least one logic device and configured to do the following: receive anonymous player characterization data and first wagering location data for the anonymous player at a first wagering location, the anonymous player is not signed in to a player loyalty session, wherein the anonymous player characterization data and the first wagering location data were manually entered into the portable transaction device by a casino representative; transmit, via the interface system, the anonymous player characterization data to the central system; receive from the central system, via the interface system, matching player characterization data corresponding to multiple matching accounts for the anonymous player based on the anonymous player characterization data; control the display system to display the multiple matching accounts for the anonymous player; transmit, via the interface system, a selection of a first matching account of the multiple matching profiles, the first matching account corresponding to the anonymous player; transmit, via the interface system, the first wagering location data to the central system for association with the first matching account; and transmit, via the interface system, an indication that player data contained in a second matching account should be imported into the first matching account; wherein the portable transaction device is handheld such that a user can provide the anonymous player characterization data and the first wagering location data for the anonymous player from a game playing area that includes the first wagering location.