Award generation in a linked pool of gaming machines

A method of gaming comprising the steps of:

• receiving, by a gaming host machine a message from a first gaming machine, the first gaming machine being part of the pool of gaming machines, the message indicating occurrence of a first winning event on the first gaming machine;
• determining, by the gaming host machine a first set of eligible gaming machines from the pool of gaming machines;
• sending, by the gaming host machine a first bonus game trigger message to each of the first set of eligible gaming machines, the first bonus game trigger message comprising instructions to trigger a first bonus game on each of the first set of eligible gaming machines;
• receiving, by the gaming host machine, a first bonus game outcome message from each of the eligible gaming machines.

A gaming machine configured to communicate with a linked progressive controller machine, the gaming machine comprising:

• at least one gaming machine processor;
• gaming machine memory storing executable program code;
• at least one display to display game-related images;
• and
• input components to receive player input;
• wherein the at least one gaming machine processor is configured to execute the program code to:
• receive a progressive meter value message from the linked progressive controller machine, the progressive meter value message indicating a change in the progressive meter value;
• on determining a decrement or reset of a progressive meter value based on the progressive meter value message, trigger a first bonus game;
• determine an outcome of the first bonus game;
• wherein the at least one gaming machine is part of a pool of gaming machines and the linked progressive controller machine transmits the progressive meter value message to at least another gaming machine part of the pool of gaming machines.