Cashless gaming system: apparatus and method

1. A method of operating gaming machines connected to a system computer associated with a database, each of said gaming machines associated with (i) a card reader, and (ii) a controller assembly coupled to said system computer, comprising:

providing a player card to at least one player;

creating a player account in said database, said player account associated with said player card and having an account balance indicating a value amount;

inserting said player card into said card reader associated with said one gaming machine;

establishing credits on said credit meter of said one gaming machine;

providing a time out signal representative of lack of activity on said one gaming machine;

detecting said time out signal; and

automatically transferring the credits on said credit meter of the gaming machine to value in said player account in response to detecting said time out signal.

2. A method according to claim 1 and further including providing a player identification number to said one player, said player identification number associated with said player account.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said gaming machine includes a keypad, and wherein said method includes entering said player identification number via said keypad.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of establishing credit on said credit meter includes inserting cash into said gaming machine.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of establishing credit on said credit meter includes downloading value from said player account to said gaming machine.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of establishing credit on said credit meter includes converting points to credits on the gaming machine.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said credits represent the number of wagers for play on said one gaming machine.