System including one or more gaming machines

A gaming system comprising:

• a gaming machine configured to enable play of a game thereon;
• a server system configured to execute a software game process to determine an outcome of a primary game played on the gaming machine pursuant to awarding a primary award at the gaming machine, and to execute a software jackpot process to control award of a jackpot prize;
• wherein the server system spawns the jackpot process in response to message communications received from the game process only when said jackpot prize is to be made available at said gaming machine, wherein, once eligibility has been authorized as a result of said message communications, the primary award and the jackpot prize are both available during subsequent game play.

A method of operating a gaming system including at least one gaming machine, said method including:

• providing a plurality of services to said at least one gaming machine, said services being implemented by way of one or more software processes, the one or more software processes including a jackpot process configured to control award of a jackpot prize at said at least one gaming machine, the one or more software processes further including a game process configured to control a game outcome that determines whether a primary award is to be made at said at least one gaming machine;
• and
• using message communications between the game process and the jackpot process to establish authorization of the availability of both the jackpot prize and the primary award at said at least one gaming machine.