126 the central authority 120 uses an encryption algorithm to generate validation numbers preferably the algorithm is based at least on time and or date as well as a gaming machine number the ticketing database 122 described in more detail with reference to tables 1 3 below stores information obtained from the gaming machines 102 106 as well as locally generated validation numbers the ticketing workstation 128 provides cash redemption of tickets outside of gaming machines the administration workstation 130 provides an interface for setting up system parameters and the accounting workstation 132 provides for ticket and gaming machine accounting functions note that in general when a ticket validation number is pre loaded onto the network interface board the ticket validation number is also pre stored in a ticketing database albeit without an associated pending credit amount thus should the gaming network fail validation may still occur through human intervention turning next to fig2 a ticket 200 includes a validation number bar code 202 e g in jcm or code 205 format a human intelligible validation number 204 and a human intelligible pending credit amount 206 the ticket 200 as shown also includes a machine number 208 and a ticket number 210 e g a sequential ticket number generated in the gaming machine 102 note that the validation number bar code 202 is a machine readable representation of a pre loaded validation number as discussed in more detail below but that the validation number bar code 202 generally does not encode other information e g the pending credit amount in other words the ticket 200 when it is advantageous to do so may omit a machine readable pending credit amount additional information may also be.