CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION UNAUDITED - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 33,852	$ 13,719	$ 62,561
Investments in securities	32,889	32,975	34,095
Receivable from brokers	344	1,091	1,157
Investment advisory fees receivable	26,606	31,048	26,638
Receivable from affiliates	4,745	5,041	27,957
Income tax receivable and deferred tax asset	10,634	6,787	2,409
Other assets	12,198	13,238	10,776
Assets of discontinued operations	0	0	706,523
Total assets	121,268	103,899	872,116
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Payable to brokers	10,203	12	533
Income taxes payable and deferred tax liabilities	164	4,823	5,963
Capital lease obligation	5,094	5,170	5,191
Compensation payable	31,469	24,426	83,700
Securities sold, not yet purchased	0	129	0
Payable to affiliates	7,679	7,687	153
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	31,801	28,882	32,467
Liabilities of discontinued operations	0	0	66,614
Sub-total	86,410	71,129	194,621
4.5% Convertible note (due August 15, 2021) (Note F)	109,826	0	0
AC 4% PIK Note (due November 30, 2020) (Note F)	100,000	250,000	0
Loan from GGCP (due December 28, 2016) (Note F)	0	35,000	0
5.875% Senior notes (due June 1, 2021)	24,115	24,097	99,447
Zero coupon subordinated debentures, Face value: $0.0 million at September 30, 2016, $0.0 million at December 31, 2015 and $6.9 million at September 30, 2015, respectively (due December 31, 2015)	0	0	6,750
Total liabilities	320,351	380,226	300,818
Redeemable noncontrolling interests from discontinued operations	0	0	6,018
Commitments and contingencies (Note J)
GAMCO Investors, Inc. stockholders' equity
Preferred stock, $.001 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding	0	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	3,135	345	299,769
Retained earnings (deficit)	48,412	(34,224)	661,415
Accumulated other comprehensive income	9,317	9,115	17,575
Treasury stock, at cost (5,025,640, 4,758,794 and 9,046,709 shares, respectively)	(259,980)	(251,596)	(416,147)
Total GAMCO Investors, Inc. stockholders' equity (deficit)	(199,083)	(276,327)	562,645
Noncontrolling interests from discontinued operations	0	0	2,635
Total equity (deficit)	(199,083)	(276,327)	565,280
Total liabilities and equity (deficit)	121,268	103,899	872,116
Class A [Member]
GAMCO Investors, Inc. stockholders' equity
Common stock	14	14	14
Class B [Member]
GAMCO Investors, Inc. stockholders' equity
Common stock	$ 19	$ 19	$ 19

Carrying amount due within one year of the balance sheet date from income tax receivables and deferred tax assets.

No definition available.

Name:	gbl_IncomeTaxReceivableAndDeferredTaxAssets
Namespace Prefix:	gbl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of the unpaid sum of the known and estimated amounts payable to satisfy all domestic and foreign income tax obligations due and the cumulative amount for all deferred tax liabilities as of the balance sheet date arising from temporary differences between accounting income in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and tax-basis income that will result in future taxable income exceeding future accounting income.

+ References

No definition available.