CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION UNAUDITED - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 27,383	$ 17,821	$ 88,230
Investments in securities	31,407	36,790	33,190
Receivable from brokers	1,876	1,578	523
Investment advisory fees receivable	27,150	38,712	29,810
Investment in subsidiaries and receivable from affiliates	4,794	5,635	5,325
Income tax receivable and deferred tax asset	12,878	15,615	12,829
Other assets	11,505	12,135	12,615
Total assets	116,993	128,286	182,522
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Payable to brokers	164	14,926	10,022
Income taxes payable and deferred tax liabilities	7,491	3,128	19,787
Capital lease obligation	4,908	4,943	5,038
Compensation payable	84,333	82,907	42,295
Payable to affiliates	864	855	1,528
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	27,706	28,656	27,942
Sub-total	125,466	135,415	106,612
4.5% Convertible note (net of issuance costs of $138, $165 and $174, respectively) (due August 15, 2021) (Note F)	0	0	109,844
AC 4% PIK Note (due November 30, 2020) (Note F)	40,000	50,000	90,000
AC 1.6% Note (due February 28, 2018) (Note F)	0	15,000	0
5.875% Senior notes (net of issuance costs of $87, $105 and $110, respectively) (due June 1, 2021) (Note F)	24,150	24,144	24,126
Total liabilities	189,616	224,559	330,582
Commitments and contingencies (Note I)
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	12,759	12,572	4,602
Retained earnings	194,732	155,939	104,749
Accumulated other comprehensive income	(145)	11,876	8,720
Treasury stock, at cost (5,592,007 and 5,107,481 shares, respectively)	(280,002)	(276,693)	(266,164)
Total GAMCO Investors, Inc. stockholders' equity (deficit)	(72,623)	(96,273)	(148,060)
Total liabilities and equity	116,993	128,286	182,522
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.