Patent ID: 7976384

Claim:
The method of activating a gaming machine by an individual player for subsequent play, which comprises: receiving a manual actuation from the individual player by said gaming machine to enable said gaming machine to accept noncontact electronic data transmission from a card carried by the player; receiving a display of the card from the player by the gaming machine, without physical contact between said gaming machine and said card; said card comprising suitable electronics for data transmission; causing wireless transfer of first individualized data concerning the player from the card to the gaming machine or to a computer network that is associated with said gaming machine; evaluating said data against a stored database; upon favorable evaluation of said data, said gaming machine providing a personalized greeting to the player; receiving biometric sensing as separate, personal identification to the gaming machine; evaluating said biometric sensing; activating said gaming machine for said subsequent play upon favorable evaluation of said data and said sensing; during or after said subsequent play, causing wireless transfer of second, individualized data back to the card to be stored.