US Patent 8419532 Distributed promotional coupon system for a gaming environment

Methods and apparatuses for a distributed promotional coupon system for use within a casino which has cash-less gaming machines involving a plurality of game installed cash-out Voucher Printers networked to a central server. A central coupon server harnesses the processing power of the plurality of printers, tasking each one to analyze the player activity of the game into which it is installed. Handshaking and signaling between the server and the plurality of printers ensure that the server was system master, approving the issuance of all coupons. One advantage of the system is the simplification of the server whose real-time processing requirements become more of data routing than analysis.