Systems and methods for electronic fund transfers for use with gaming systems

1. A method for stored value transactions in a gaming or amusement environment, the method comprising:

providing, by an operator, a gaming device and a player card account comprising a stored value component, said player card account managed by a host management system, and said player card account associated with a patron, wherein the gaming device, the player card account, and the host management system communicatively coupled over a local area network;

providing, by the operator, a player card associated with the player card account;

providing, by the operator, a computing device in electronic communication with the host management system and in further electronic communication with a banking network associated with a financial account of the patron, said financial account associated with a financial account card different from the player card, the computing device including: a database that includes data for at least one transfer of funds, the data including: a patron name, an operator name, a transfer value, a date, and a time;

providing, by the operator, an electronic transaction terminal in electronic communication with the computing device; and

enabling the patron to transfer funds from the financial account to the player card account, the transfer of funds performed by:

checking the database to confirm that the financial account card is accepted;

initiating a funds transfer request in a desired amount at the electronic transaction terminal, said funds transfer request communicated to the banking network via the computing device;

receiving a funds transfer authorization from the banking network at the computing device;

communicating, by the computing device, said funds transfer authorization to the host management system; and

crediting funds to the player card account by the host management system.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving patron input, by one of a personal identification number (PIN) entry keypad and card reader, that initiates the funds transfer request, wherein the PIN entry keypad and card reader are operatively coupled to the electronic transaction terminal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the financial account card comprises one of a Visa card, a MasterCard, and an ATM card.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the patron input includes entry of a PIN associated with the financial account of the patron.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the player card includes a pre-paid debit card.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the player card includes one of a Visa card, a MasterCard, and an ATM card.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

communicating confirmation of the funds transfer authorization from the computing device to the electronic transaction terminal; and

displaying, by the electronic transaction terminal, a message to the patron reporting at least one of the amount of the funds transfer, successful completion of the funds transfer, failure to successfully complete the funds transfer, and any service fees associated with the funds transfer.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

communicating confirmation of the funds transfer authorization from the computing device to the electronic transaction terminal; and

providing, by the electronic transaction terminal, a printed receipt to the patron reporting at least one of the amount of the funds transfer, successful completion of the funds transfer, failure to successfully complete the funds transfer, and any service fees associated with the funds transfer.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the banking network comprises one of the PLUS, STAR, CIRRUS, INTERLINK, MONEY PASS and NYCE networks.

10. A method for transferring funds to an account provided by an operator associated with a gaming or amusement environment, the method comprising:

initiating a funds transfer request by a patron in a desired amount at an electronic transaction terminal in communication with a computing device, the computing device including: a database that includes data for at least one transfer of funds, the data including: a patron name, an operator name, a transfer value, a date, and a time;

authorizing the electronic transaction terminal to initiate the funds transfer request by checking the database to confirm that a financial account card is accepted;

communicating the funds transfer request from the electronic transaction terminal to a banking network associated with a financial account of the patron via the computing device;

receiving a funds transfer authorization from the banking network at the computing device;

communicating the funds transfer authorization from the computing device to a host management system provided by the operator; and

crediting funds to a player card account by the host management system over a local area network, wherein the player card account is associated with the patron.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising receiving patron input, by one of a personal identification number (PIN) entry keypad and card reader, that initiates the funds transfer request, wherein the PIN entry keypad and card reader are operatively coupled to the electronic transaction terminal.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the financial account is associated with a financial account card that comprises one of a Visa card, a MasterCard, and an ATM card.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the patron input includes entry of a PIN associated with the financial account of the patron.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the initiating of a funds transfer request comprises the use of the card reader with a player card associated with the player card account.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising communicating confirmation of the funds transfer authorization from the computing device to the electronic transaction terminal and displaying, by the electronic transaction terminal, a message to the patron reporting at least one of the amount of the funds transfer, successful completion of the funds transfer, failure to successfully complete the funds transfer, and any service fees associated with the funds transfer.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

communicating confirmation of the funds transfer authorization from the computing device to the electronic transaction terminal and providing, by the electronic transaction terminal; and

providing, by the electronic transaction terminal, a printed receipt to the patron including at least one of the amount of the funds transfer, successful completion of the funds transfer, failure to successfully complete the funds transfer, and any service fees associated with the funds.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the banking network comprises one of the PLUS, STAR, CIRRUS, INTERLINK, MONEY PASS and NYCE networks.

18. A system for securely transferring funds to an account provided by an operator associated with a gaming or amusement environment, the system comprising:

a local area network;

an electronic transaction terminal communicatively coupled to the local area network, the electronic transaction terminal comprising:

at least one of a PIN entry keypad and a payment card reader, and

at least one of a display and a printer; and

a computing device in electronic communication with a network associated with a patron financial account, the computing device in electronic communication with the electronic transaction terminal, the computing device in electronic communication with a host management system including the account provided by the operator, the host management system communicatively coupled to the local area network, the computing device including a database that includes data for at least one transfer of funds, wherein the data includes a patron name, an operator name, a transfer value, a date, and a time, and wherein the account provided by the operator is associated with a patron;

wherein the system:

checks the database to confirm that a financial account card is accepted;

generates a funds transaction request from patron input received by at least one of the PIN entry keypad and the payment card reader of the electronic transaction terminal;

transmits said request from the electronic transaction terminal to the computing device;

transmits said request from the computing device to the network associated with the patron financial account;

receives from the network associated with the patron financial account, at the computing device, an authorization to transfer funds;

communicates said authorization from the computing device to the host management system;

credits funds to the account provided by the operator;

communicates confirmation of said authorization from the computing device to the electronic transaction terminal; and

provides confirmation to the patron using at least one of the display and the printer.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising a gaming device, wherein the payment card reader is externally attached to the gaming device.