Method and apparatus for scrip distribution and management

An apparatus for selectively dispensing pre-coded scrip, comprising:

• a scanner for scanning a code on the pre-coded scrip in response to a cashout command;
• a scrip dispensing unit for emitting the scrip;
• and
• a processor, communicatively coupled to a gaming device, the scanner, the scrip dispensing unit, and a remote processor having access to a database for storing and retrieving codes from a plurality of gaming devices, the processor for transmitting a first message comprising the scanned code to the remote processor and for receiving a second message comprising a scrip dispense message from the remote processor.

A apparatus for supplying scrip to a scrip dispensing device, comprising:

• a cassette, having a plurality of surfaces forming a cassette cavity therein for storing the scrip;
• and
• an interface, disposed on at least one of the plurality of surfaces the interface adapted for releasably coupling the cassette to the scrip dispensing device;
• wherein the cassette cavity further comprises a first interior surface having first undulations and an opposing second interior surface having second undulations.

An apparatus for supplying scrip to a scrip dispensing device, comprising:

• a cassette, having a plurality of surfaces forming a cassette cavity therein for storing the scrip;
• an interface, disposed on at least one of the plurality of surfaces the interface adapted for releasably coupling the cassette to the scrip dispensing device;
• and
• wherein the scrip comprises a first edge and an opposing second edge separated by a first dimension, and wherein an upper portion of the cavity comprises a narrowed portion having a dimension less than the first dimension.

An apparatus for supplying scrip to a scrip dispensing device, comprising:

• a cassette, having a plurality of surfaces forming a cassette cavity therein for storing the scrip;
• an interface, disposed on at least one of the plurality of surfaces the interface adapted for releasably coupling the cassette to the scrip dispensing device;
• and
• wherein:
• the scrip dispensing device comprises a scanner for scanning a code on the pre-coded scrip;
• and
• the interface comprises an aperture exposing the code to the scanner.

An apparatus for dispensing pre-coded scrip, comprising:

• means for accepting a cashout command at a gaming device;
• means for scanning a code on the pre-coded scrip in response to the cashout command, wherein the code uniquely identifies the scrip;
• means for transmitting the code to a remote processor having access to a database for storing and retrieving codes from a plurality of gaming devices;
• means for receiving a scrip dispense message from the remote processor;
• and
• means for dispensing the pre-coded scrip.

A program storage device, readable by a computer, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps of dispensing pre-coded scrip, the method steps comprising the steps of:

• (a) accepting a cashout command at a gaming device;
• (b) scanning a code on the pre-coded scrip in response to the cashout command, wherein the code uniquely identifies the scrip;
• (c) transmitting the code to a remote processor having access to a database for storing and retrieving codes from a plurality of gaming devices;
• (d) receiving a scrip dispense message from the remote processor;
• and
• (e) dispensing the pre-coded scrip.