DISCOUNTED CREDITS AS INCENTIVE TO PLAY GAMING DEVICES

1 . A method for using an electronic account accessible by a computer network for playing gaming machines on the network, the method comprising:

providing a user interface;

creating a record in the account via the user interface;

associating a payment with the account;

associating game credits in excess of the payment with the account;

permitting a player to wager game credit associated with the account on one of the gaming machines.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface is operable the player and wherein creating a record in the account is performed by the player.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the gaming machines are located in a gaming establishment and wherein the user interface comprises a computing device located remotely from the gaming establishment.

4 . The method of claim 2 comprising preventing the player from cashing out the game credits.

5 . The method of claim 2 comprising preventing the player from cashing out predefined jackpots payable by the gaming machine.

6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the jackpots payable by the gaming machine comprise predefined awards that sequentially increase in value and wherein preventing the player from cashing out predefined jackpots comprises preventing the player from cashing out a plurality of sequential award values starting with the lowest award value.

7 . The method of claim 5 comprising preventing the player from cashing out all but the highest value jackpot award.

8 . The method of claim 2 comprising preventing the player from cashing out the game credits until after the player has wagered a predefined amount in excess of the payment.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises associating additional game credits with the account when creating a record in the account is performed by a player.

10 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

creating a transferrable record locator; and

permitting a player to wager game credit in the account responsive to accessing the record with the record locator.

11 . A method for using an electronic account accessible by a computer network for playing gaming machines on the network, the method comprising:

providing a user interface;

creating a record in the account via the user interface;

associating a payment with the account;

associating game credits with the account;

permitting a player to wager game credit associated with the account on one of the gaming machines;

tracking the time period in which the player wagers the game credits;

determining whether all of the credits are wagered within a predetermined time period; and

if so, increasing game credits associated with the account.

12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the method further comprises associating additional game credits with the account when creating a record in the account is performed by a player.

13 . The method of claim 11 further comprising notifying the player that increasing game credits associated with the account will occur if all of the credits are wagered within the predetermined time period.

14 . The method of claim 13 further comprising notifying the player prior to the end of the predetermined time period.

15 . The method of claim 14 further comprising notifying the player substantially at the beginning of the predetermined time period.

16 . A method for using an electronic account accessible by a computer network for playing gaming machines on the network, the method comprising:

providing access to the account via a computing device connected to a global computer network;

creating a player record in the account via a user interface associated with the computing device;

receiving a player payment via the computing device;

associating the player payment with the account;

associating game credits in excess of the player payment with the account responsive to receiving the player payment; and

permitting a player to wager game credit associated with the account on one of the gaming machines.