CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION UNAUDITED - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 34,334	$ 17,821	$ 61,097
Investments in securities	29,704	36,790	101,425
Receivable from brokers	2,654	1,578	1,342
Investment advisory fees receivable	25,010	38,712	25,549
Investment in subsidiaries and receivable from affiliates	4,531	5,635	4,784
Income tax receivable and deferred tax asset	11,532	15,615	24,941
Other assets	10,692	12,135	11,888
Total assets	118,457	128,286	231,026
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Payable to brokers	0	14,926	13,311
Income taxes payable and deferred tax liabilities	3,555	3,128	3,215
Capital lease obligation	4,834	4,943	4,976
Compensation payable	70,385	82,907	82,896
Payable to affiliates	140	855	2,981
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	27,571	28,656	24,134
Sub-total	106,485	135,415	131,513
4.5% Convertible note (net of issuance costs of $0, $0 and $147, respectively) (due August 15, 2021) (Note G)	0	0	109,862
AC 4% PIK Note (due November 30, 2020) (Note G)	0	50,000	70,000
AC 1.6% Note Payable (due February 28, 2018) (Note G)	0	15,000	0
5.875% Senior notes (net of issuance costs of $69, $81 and $93, respectively) (due June 1, 2021) (Note G)	24,162	24,144	24,138
Total liabilities	130,647	224,559	335,513
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	13,614	12,572	11,084
Retained earnings	260,171	155,939	143,026
Accumulated other comprehensive income	(218)	11,876	12,365
Treasury stock, at cost (5,848,530, 5,592,007 and 5,266,301 shares, respectively)	(285,790)	(276,693)	(270,995)
Total GAMCO Investors, Inc. stockholders' equity (deficit)	(12,190)	(96,273)	(104,487)
Total liabilities and equity	118,457	128,286	231,026
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.