Sounds like you, as a new collector, need to have some of the basic information that the rest of us are so used to knowing that we don't mention it.

The "temp card" (also issued in some places as a "bus card") is issued in some casinos for people to use when they can't or don't have time to get a regular card issued. The most common case is when a busload of people pull up to a casino in New Jersey, Las Vegas, a riverboat or an indian casino. The management want these people to play with a card in the reader, as it gives the impression you are getting something for your play and encourages the people to play more. (Have you noticed how much casinos spend to promote their players clubs? They know they get people in the seats and playing in return!) If this group walks in the door, the casino doesn't want them all to stand in line at the card booth, so some places have special cards made and they (or the bus tour operators) hand them out to the people so they can go and play right away. Then the idea is, when a person has a chance, he/she can go to the booth for a card in his/her name and hand in the "temp/bus" card with any points earned being transfered to the account. Some places use their regular cards with ""guest" or "bus card" printed as the name.

Some places use a blank plastic cards for bus cards and sometimes a place runs out of cards and they will use blank white or colored cards for their regular issue while cards oare on order. These are blanks that have the player's name and account number printed on them, but nothing else. These are very discouraging to collectors when you drive a ways to get a card, and you get a blank one.

Here are a look at some temp card samples. The Johnny Nolan's I got a couple of weeks ago when I was in Cripple Creek. What they do, when a person asks for a card, they give out a white temp card, and after you have earned 25 points on the machines, you can go back and get a card in your name. I asked and got to keep it. Some other places do this -- you are only issued a card (and they only go through the trouble of entering your name and address into their database) after you show some slot play. The Catfish Bend sample is one of many different colors they were issued in. The red Mississippi Belle II card is interesting in that there are many different examples with varied companies printed where this one says "Seniors." Each tour line has their name printed on the cards.

I hope this helps you understand the field of "temp" and "bus" cards.