1. A method for remotely configuring a bonus game operating on a gaming machine of a type having a base game display area and a bonus game display area, the method comprising: selecting at a configuration workstation coupled to the gaming machine over a network at least one of a plurality of criteria displayed in a list to thereby define a bonus promotion rule, said rule including at least a triggering criterion; propagating the rule throughout the network to at least the gaming machine and storing the rule on the gaming machine; and operating the gaming machine in accordance with the stored bonus promotion rule including triggering the operation of a bonus game on the bonus game display area according to the triggering criterion.