Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Total assets of Company's joint ventures			$ 94,500,000	$ 108,400,000
Total liabilities of Company's joint ventures			95,800,000	104,300,000
Cash equivalents, original maturities			Less than 90 days
Impairment loss	100,700,000	42,900,000	143,674,000		16,057,000
Capitalized interest expense			49,300,000	127,100,000	106,100,000
Capitalized internal costs			20,300,000	19,800,000	45,100,000
Impairment loss, intangible assets			0	0	0
Taxes on gaming revenue			3,530,000,000	2,720,000,000	2,190,000,000
Advertising costs			97,800,000	51,200,000	54,300,000
Gain related to the dissolution of a wholly owned foreign subsidiary			6,600,000
Percentage on measuring uncertain tax position minimum			50.00%
Sands Bethlehem Gaming License [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Indefinite lived assets			50,000,000
Sands Bethlehem Table Games Certificate [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Indefinite lived assets			16,500,000
Cotai Strip Parcels 7 and 8 [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Impairment loss			100,700,000
The Venetian Macao [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Impairment loss					16,100,000
ZAiA [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Impairment loss			$ 42,900,000