Gaming device with wild activation symbols and wild termination symbols

A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

• (a) receiving, via an acceptor, a first physical item associated with a first monetary value;
• (b) identifying, via a validator, the received first physical item;
• (c) establishing, via at least one processor, a credit balance based at least in part on the first monetary value of the received first physical item;
• (d) receiving, via a wager button, a wager on a play of a game associated with a plurality of symbols, said wager having a wager amount;
• (e) deducting, via the at least one processor, the wager amount from the credit balance;
• (f) for said play of the game:
• (i) randomly generating, via the at least one processor, a plurality of the plurality of symbols;
• (ii) displaying, via the at least one display device, the randomly generated symbols;
• (iii) if a triggering event occurs and if a plurality of instances of a designated non-wild symbol are displayed:
• (A) for each displayed instance of the designated non-wild symbol, replacing, via the at least one processor, said displayed instance of said designated non-wild symbol with the wild symbol and displaying, via the at least one display device, said wild symbol;
• (B) determining, via the at least one processor, any awards based on the displayed symbols;
• and (C) adding, via the at least one processor, an amount of each determined award to the credit balance;
• and
• (iv) if the triggering event does not occur, determining, via the at least one processor, any awards based on the displayed symbols and adding, via the at least one processor, an amount of each determined award to the credit balance;
• and
• (g) if an actuation of a cashout button is received, initiating, via the at least one processor, a payout associated with the credit balance.