Financial Information for Guarantor Subsidiaries and Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 77.8	$ 83.3
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(72.1)	(59.6)
Proceeds from (Payments for) Interests in Joint Ventures		(17.7)
Distributions of capital on equity investments	3.8sgms_ReturnOfCapitalOnEquityInvestments	22.4sgms_ReturnOfCapitalOnEquityInvestments
Proceeds from Sale of Equity Method Investments	0	44.9
Payments for (Proceeds from) Other Investing Activities	0	(1.0)
Other, principally intercompany balances	0sgms_IntercompanyBalancesOtherInvesting	0sgms_IntercompanyBalancesOtherInvesting
Net cash used in investing activities	(68.3)	(11.0)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds/payments on long-term debt	(17.0)us-gaap_ProceedsFromRepaymentsOfDebt	(6.0)us-gaap_ProceedsFromRepaymentsOfDebt
Payments on license obligations	(9.0)sgms_PaymentForLicenseObligation	0sgms_PaymentForLicenseObligation
Common stock repurchases	0	(29.5)
Contingent earnout payments	0	(1.8)
Cash flows from financing activities:	(0.7)	(19.2)
Intercompany balances	0sgms_IntercompanyBalancesOtherfinancing	0sgms_IntercompanyBalancesOtherfinancing
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(26.7)	(56.5)
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	151.2	169.1
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(3.4)	(0.4)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Continuing Operations	(20.6)	15.4
Parent Company
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	59.9	(36.1)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(5.9)	(2.9)
Proceeds from (Payments for) Interests in Joint Ventures		0
Distributions of capital on equity investments	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Equity Method Investments		0
Payments for (Proceeds from) Other Investing Activities	0	0
Other, principally intercompany balances	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(5.9)	(2.9)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds/payments on long-term debt	0	0
Payments on license obligations	(7.5)
Common stock repurchases		(29.5)
Contingent earnout payments		0
Cash flows from financing activities:	(0.7)	(19.2)
Intercompany balances	(26.0)	74.4
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(34.2)	25.7
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	57.7	42.7
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Continuing Operations	19.8	(13.3)
SGI
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	45.8	(7.1)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(3.1)	(7.7)
Proceeds from (Payments for) Interests in Joint Ventures		0
Distributions of capital on equity investments	0	1.1
Proceeds from Sale of Equity Method Investments		0
Payments for (Proceeds from) Other Investing Activities	0	0
Other, principally intercompany balances	(26.2)	19.7
Net cash used in investing activities	(29.3)	13.1
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds/payments on long-term debt	(15.8)	(5.8)
Payments on license obligations	0
Common stock repurchases		0
Contingent earnout payments		0
Cash flows from financing activities:	0	0
Intercompany balances	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(15.8)	(5.8)
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0.3	0.2
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(0.5)	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Continuing Operations	0.2	0.2
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(163.4)	56.7
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(50.5)	(38.0)
Proceeds from (Payments for) Interests in Joint Ventures		0
Distributions of capital on equity investments	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Equity Method Investments		0
Payments for (Proceeds from) Other Investing Activities	0	(0.8)
Other, principally intercompany balances	0	(30.5)
Net cash used in investing activities	(50.5)	(69.3)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds/payments on long-term debt	0	0
Payments on license obligations	(1.5)
Common stock repurchases		0
Contingent earnout payments		0
Cash flows from financing activities:	0	0
Intercompany balances	206.2	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	204.7	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	19.6	11.4
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	(0.4)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Continuing Operations	(9.2)	(13.0)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	135.5	69.8
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(12.6)	(11.0)
Proceeds from (Payments for) Interests in Joint Ventures		(17.7)
Distributions of capital on equity investments	3.8	21.3
Proceeds from Sale of Equity Method Investments		44.9
Payments for (Proceeds from) Other Investing Activities	0	(0.2)
Other, principally intercompany balances	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(8.8)	37.3
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds/payments on long-term debt	(1.2)	(0.2)
Payments on license obligations	0
Common stock repurchases		0
Contingent earnout payments		(1.8)
Cash flows from financing activities:	0	0
Intercompany balances	(154.0)	(63.6)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(155.2)	(65.6)
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	73.6	114.8
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(2.9)	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Continuing Operations	(31.4)	41.5
Eliminating Entries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	0	0
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from (Payments for) Interests in Joint Ventures		0
Distributions of capital on equity investments	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Equity Method Investments		0
Payments for (Proceeds from) Other Investing Activities	0	0
Other, principally intercompany balances	26.2	10.8
Net cash used in investing activities	26.2	10.8
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds/payments on long-term debt	0	0
Payments on license obligations	0
Common stock repurchases		0
Contingent earnout payments		0
Cash flows from financing activities:	0	0
Intercompany balances	(26.2)	(10.8)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(26.2)	(10.8)
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Continuing Operations	$ 0	$ 0

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The net cash inflows (outflows) associated with the sale (or acquisition) of an interest in an investment in an entity in which the reporting entity shares control of the entity with another party or group.

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Amount of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Excludes cash and cash equivalents within disposal group and discontinued operation.

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Amount of increase (decrease) from the effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalent balances held in foreign currencies.

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The increase (decrease) in cash associated with the entity's continuing operating, investing, and financing activities. While for technical reasons this element has no balance attribute, the default assumption is a debit balance consistent with its label.

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Amount of cash inflow (outflow) of financing activities, excluding discontinued operations. Financing activity cash flows include obtaining resources from owners and providing them with a return on, and a return of, their investment; borrowing money and repaying amounts borrowed, or settling the obligation; and obtaining and paying for other resources obtained from creditors on long-term credit.

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Amount of cash inflow (outflow) of investing activities, excluding discontinued operations. Investing activity cash flows include making and collecting loans and acquiring and disposing of debt or equity instruments and property, plant, and equipment and other productive assets.

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The net cash outflow or inflow from other investing activities. This element is used when there is not a more specific and appropriate element in the taxonomy.

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Amount of cash outflow to satisfy an employee's income tax withholding obligation as part of a net-share settlement of a share-based award.

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The net cash inflow or outflow in aggregate debt due to repayments and proceeds from additional borrowings.

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