Period of Agreement to Sell Products and Supply Services

No definition available.

Name:	sgms_PeriodofAgreementtoSellProductsandSupplyServices
Namespace Prefix:	sgms_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the entity's royalty fee from the investee for intellectual property rights, as a percentage of the total gross profits distributed by the joint venture.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sgms_RoyaltyFeeRevenuePercentageOfInvesteeDistributedGrossProfits
Namespace Prefix:	sgms_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This item represents disclosure of the amount of dividends or other distributions received from unconsolidated subsidiaries, certain corporate joint ventures, and certain noncontrolled corporation; these investments are accounted for under the equity method of accounting. This element excludes distributions that constitute a return of investment, which are classified as investing activities.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentDividendsOrDistributions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 323

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6382943&loc=d3e33918-111571

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This item represents the entity's proportionate share for the period of the net income (loss) of its investee (such as unconsolidated subsidiaries and joint ventures) to which the equity method of accounting is applied. This item includes income or expense related to stock-based compensation based on the investor's grant of stock to employees of an equity method investee.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 9

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 323

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=16385135&loc=d3e33749-111570

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.12)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 11

-Article 7

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash outflow associated with the purchase of or advances to an equity method investments, which are investments in joint ventures and entities in which the entity has an equity ownership interest normally of 20 to 50 percent and exercises significant influence.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=sgms_CsgLotteryTechnologyBeijingCoLtdMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Equity Investments - CSG (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 12, 2007	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2009
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Payments to equity method investment		$ 48.2	$ 86.1	$ 0
Earnings (loss) from equity investments		(7.6)	1.5	28.1
Distributed earnings from equity investments		28.5	29.5	38.1
CSG Lottery Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd (CSG)
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Payments to equity method investment	7.4
Equity interest (as a percent)	49.00%
Term of revenue agreement (in years)					15 years
Earnings (loss) from equity investments		6.0	6.9	8.3
Royalty fee from investee for intellectual property rights, percentage of total gross profits distributed by joint venture		1.00%
Distributed earnings from equity investments		$ 6.4	$ 6.3	$ 9.3