Gaming machines and networks capable of providing universal mediation between multiple disparate gaming systems are disclosed. In particular, multiple disparate gaming systems providing different services and features can be accessed by a player throughout a gaming session at a gaming device as a result of a single player transaction using a universal indicia of identification by the player. Such an indicia can include a card, token, PIN, biometric identifier and/or other identification source. A player identification device at the gaming device can accept such indicia, and can also facilitate protocol mediation and hardware mediation between the gaming device and each of the multiple disparate gaming systems. Enhanced DCUs may also be used to facilitate such mediations, and also to provide redundant communication paths between a LAN containing the gaming device and a WAN including the multiple disparate gaming systems.