a method and apparatus for a promotional printer for use within a cashless enabled gaming machine or vending machine are disclosed . a promotional printer includes a coupon database describing a stack of coupons that are specified using a template based couponing printer language . a coupon is selected for creation and issued to a user or player based on a matrix of event - based triggers involving factors or parameters known to the promotional printer directly or supplied by a master promotional controller . triggers may include the time of day , the date or amount of a cash - out voucher to be issued to the user or player , the duration of play on a gaming machine , a player classification , the amount of money or credits added to a game , or a random frequency of coupon issuance having satisfied any or all of the aforementioned factors . the promotional printer may further include the ability to store all of the coupons , trigger conditions , and related information resident in the promotional printer in a non - volatile fashion thus enabling a host system to download a promotional environment into the promotional printer which will run promotional campaigns on behalf of the hosting system .