Debt Instrument, Amortization Percentage

No definition available.

Name:	sgms_DebtInstrumentAmortizationPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	sgms_
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Collateral as a Percentage of Capital

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Line Of Credit Facility, Additional Borrowing Capacity

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sgms_LineOfCreditFacilityAdditionalBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	sgms_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line Of Credit Facility, Prepayment Fee

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity, After Step-Down In Availability

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sgms_LineofCreditFacilityRemainingBorrowingCapacityAfterStepDownInAvailability
Namespace Prefix:	sgms_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line of Credit Facility, Unused Capacity, Commitment Fee, Step-down Percentage

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930739&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Face (par) amount of the original debt instrument that was repurchased.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRepurchasedFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility (current borrowing capacity less the amount of borrowings outstanding).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityRemainingBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for available but unused credit capacity under the credit facility.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityUnusedCapacityCommitmentFeePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=sgms_TheCreditAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_LetterOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=sgms_SeniorSecuredCreditFacilityTermLoanB1Maturing2020Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=sgms_TermLoanFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=sgms_SeniorSecuredCreditFacilityTermLoanB2Maturing2021Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=sgms_SeniorSecuredCreditFacilityTermLoanB3Maturing2021Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_LondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_BaseRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=sgms_SeniorSecuredNotesMaturing2022Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=sgms_SeniorSubordinatedNotesMaturing2018Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorSubordinatedNotesMember
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Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=sgms_SeniorSecuredCreditFacilityTermLoanB4Maturing2024Member
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Data Type:	na
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Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=sgms_SeniorSecuredCreditFacilityTermLoansB1AndB2Member
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=sgms_SeniorSecuredCreditFacilityLenderJoinderAgreementMaturing2020Member
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=sgms_SeniorSecuredRevolverMaturing2018Member
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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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Long-Term and Other Debt - Credit Facilities (Details) - USD ($)		12 Months Ended
	Aug. 14, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 21, 2017	Feb. 14, 2017	Jan. 01, 2016	Nov. 21, 2014
The Credit Agreement \| Revolver
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum revolving commitments					$ 592,600,000.0
The Credit Agreement \| Revolver \| Letter of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum revolving commitments					350,000,000.0
Senior Secured Term Loan B-1, maturing 2020 \| Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum revolving commitments					2,300,000,000.0
Senior Secured Term Loan B-2, maturing 2021 \| Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum revolving commitments					$ 2,000,000,000.0
Senior Secured Term Loan B-3, maturing 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt amount				$ 3,291,000,000.0
Senior Secured Term Loan B-3, maturing 2021 \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Margin spread on debt	4.00%
Senior Secured Term Loan B-3, maturing 2021 \| Base Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Margin spread on debt	3.00%
Senior Secured Term Loan B-3, maturing 2021 \| Revolver
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of remaining availability				556,200,000
Total revolving facility after reduction				381,700,000.0
Senior Secured Notes, maturing 2022 \| Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt amount				1,150,000,000.00		$ 950,000,000.0
Senior Subordinated Notes, maturing 2018 \| Senior Subordinated Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt redeemed				$ 250,000,000.0
Senior Secured Term Loan B-4, maturing 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt amount	$ 3,282,800,000.0
Senior Secured Term Loan B-4, maturing 2024 \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Margin spread on debt	3.25%
Senior Secured Term Loan B-4, maturing 2024 \| Base Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Margin spread on debt	2.25%
Senior Secured Term Loan B-4, maturing 2024 \| Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amortization percentage	1.00%
Prepayment fee	1.00%
Senior Secured Credit Facility, Term Loans B-1 And B-2 \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Margin spread on debt	5.00%
Senior Secured Credit Facility, Term Loans B-1 And B-2 \| Base Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Margin spread on debt	4.00%
Senior Secured Credit Facility, Lender Joinder Agreement, maturing 2020 \| Revolver
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum revolving commitments			$ 596,200,000.0
Total revolving facility after reduction			421,700,000.0
Additional borrowing capacity			$ 40,000,000.0
Senior Secured Revolver, maturing 2018 \| Revolver
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unused capacity, commitment fee percentage		0.50%
Unused capacity, commitment fee, step-down percentage		0.375%
Senior secured credit facilities \| Direct and Indirect Wholly Owned Domestic Subsidiaries
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Collateral as a percentage of capital		100.00%
Senior secured credit facilities \| Foreign Subsidiaries
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Collateral as a percentage of capital		65.00%