Financial Information for Guarantor Subsidiaries and Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 97,583	$ 103,136
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital and lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(44,176)	(34,831)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired		(5,906)
Other assets and investments	(43,122)	(145,586)
Net cash used in investing activities	(87,298)	(186,323)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	(4,661)	14,034
Net proceeds from issuance of stock	(1,353)	(394)
Purchases of treasury stock		(18,227)
Payment of financing fees	(2,623)	(6,778)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(8,637)	(11,365)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	1,327	(14,753)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	2,975	(109,305)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	124,281	260,131
Cash and cash equivalents of held for sale operations		627
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	127,256	151,453
Parent Company
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	(13,976)	(17,324)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital and lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(1,037)	(43)
Other assets and investments	(352)	(130,986)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,389)	(131,029)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt		(9,943)
Net proceeds from issuance of stock	(1,353)	(395)
Purchases of treasury stock		(18,227)
Payment of financing fees	(8)
Other, principally intercompany balances	(14,290)	127,795
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(15,651)	99,230
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(720)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(31,736)	(49,123)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	62,639	147,220
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	30,903	98,097
SGI
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	28,257	13,701
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital and lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(20,932)	(17,201)
Other assets and investments	(9,858)	(127,735)
Net cash used in investing activities	(30,790)	(144,936)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	(3,140)	74,275
Net proceeds from issuance of stock		131,002
Payment of financing fees	(2,615)	(6,778)
Other, principally intercompany balances	7,364	(65,807)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	1,609	132,692
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	911	(971)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(13)	486
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	150	137
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	137	623
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	24,844	34,666
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital and lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(6,524)	(2,278)
Other assets and investments	(730)	(5,213)
Net cash used in investing activities	(7,254)	(7,491)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds from issuance of stock	11	14
Other, principally intercompany balances	(23,501)	(34,131)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	23,490	(34,117)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(5,900)	(6,942)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	2,279	(279)
Cash and cash equivalents of held for sale operations		617
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	(3,621)	(6,604)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	58,466	72,149
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital and lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(15,683)	(15,309)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired		(5,906)
Other assets and investments	(502,429)	(194,538)
Net cash used in investing activities	(518,112)	(215,753)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	(1,521)	(50,298)
Net proceeds from issuance of stock	470,236	181,877
Other, principally intercompany balances	30,419	(28,086)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	499,134	103,493
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	1,136	(13,615)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	40,624	(53,726)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	59,213	113,053
Cash and cash equivalents of held for sale operations		10
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	99,837	59,337
Eliminating Entries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	(8)	(56)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Other assets and investments	470,247	312,886
Net cash used in investing activities	470,247	312,886
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds from issuance of stock	(470,247)	(312,892)
Other, principally intercompany balances	8	229
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(470,239)	(312,663)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash		$ (167)