Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 143,102	$ 107,107
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	104,389	104,178
Provisions for cardholder losses	15,545	12,548
Share-based compensation	6,295	9,047
Provisions for bad debt expenses and billing adjustments	2,839	1,921
Charges for transaction processing provisions	729	1,917
Amortization of debt issuance costs	1,035	1,079
Loss on foreign currency	427	311
Amortization of bond discount	233	223
Loss (gain) on disposal of equipment, net	2	(4)
Deferred income tax expense	15,180	891
Equity in income of equity investments, net of tax	(10,608)	(12,909)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisitions:
Accrued salaries and employee benefits	(50,835)	(32,548)
Accounts receivable	9,006	25,844
Contract assets and contract liabilities	498	4,228
Contract cost assets	2,168
Prepaid expenses, other current assets and other long-term assets	(7,701)	(27,102)
Accounts payable	2,289	6,808
Other current liabilities and other long-term liabilities	(22,700)	85,342
Net cash provided by operating activities	211,893	288,881
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment	(22,069)	(12,240)
Additions to contract acquisition costs		(7,668)
Additions to internally developed computer software	(10,340)	(7,355)
Additions to licensed computer software from vendors	(13,827)	(5,162)
Cash used in acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(1,036,853)
Other investing activities	(1,550)	(379)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,084,639)	(32,804)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal payments on long-term borrowings, capital lease obligations and license agreements	(129,010)	(104,654)
Purchase of noncontrolling interest		(70,000)
Dividends paid on common stock	(23,496)	(18,333)
Subsidiary dividends paid to noncontrolling shareholders	(1)	(752)
Repurchase of common stock under plans and tax withholding	(24)	(17)
Proceeds from borrowings of long-term debt	1,040,000
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	26,461	4,207
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	913,930	(189,549)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	1,684	1,578
Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	42,868	68,106
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Beginning Balance	451,370	425,810
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Ending Balance	494,238	493,916
Supplemental cash flow information:
Interest paid	42,040	36,554
Income taxes paid, net	$ 2,936	$ 3,019