Financial Information for Guarantor Subsidiaries and Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 21,924	$ 48,610
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(9,351)	(10,446)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(344)	0
Other assets and investments	(10,107)	(39,235)
Net cash used in investing activities	(19,802)	(49,681)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	(3,551)	(2,121)
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	(3,555)	(1,521)
Purchases of treasury stock		0
Payments of financing fees	(57)	(2,623)
Other, principally intercompany balances	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(7,163)	(6,265)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	1,042	1,646
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(3,999)	(5,690)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	104,402	124,281
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	100,403	118,591
Parent Company
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	(14,095)	(8,245)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(423)	(490)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Other assets and investments	(12)	(81)
Net cash used in investing activities	(435)	(571)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	0	0
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	(3,555)	(1,521)
Purchases of treasury stock		0
Payments of financing fees	0	(8)
Other, principally intercompany balances	15,946	8,080
Net cash used in financing activities	12,391	6,551
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	4
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(2,139)	(2,261)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	24,042	62,639
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	21,903	60,378
SGI
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	14,044	28,222
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(2,894)	(6,063)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Other assets and investments	(54,595)	(12,154)
Net cash used in investing activities	(57,489)	(18,217)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	(1,570)	(1,570)
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	0	0
Purchases of treasury stock		0
Payments of financing fees	(57)	(2,615)
Other, principally intercompany balances	45,041	(6,511)
Net cash used in financing activities	43,414	(10,696)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	272	658
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	241	(33)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	56	150
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	297	117
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,337	1,933
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(613)	(606)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	302
Other assets and investments	(2,988)	(3,269)
Net cash used in investing activities	(3,601)	(3,573)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	0	0
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	5	5
Purchases of treasury stock		0
Payments of financing fees	0	0
Other, principally intercompany balances	998	(2,368)
Net cash used in financing activities	1,003	(2,363)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(1,261)	(4,003)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	2,379	2,279
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	1,118	(1,724)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	20,593	26,717
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(5,421)	(3,287)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(344)	(302)
Other assets and investments	49,624	(51,797)
Net cash used in investing activities	43,859	(55,386)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	(1,981)	(551)
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	(2,141)	28,061
Purchases of treasury stock		0
Payments of financing fees	0	0
Other, principally intercompany balances	(61,940)	782
Net cash used in financing activities	(66,062)	28,292
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	770	984
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(840)	607
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	77,925	59,213
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	77,085	59,820
Eliminating Entries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	45	(17)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	0	0
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Other assets and investments	(2,136)	28,066
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,136)	28,066
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	0	0
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	2,136	(28,066)
Purchases of treasury stock		0
Payments of financing fees	0	0
Other, principally intercompany balances	(45)	17
Net cash used in financing activities	2,091	(28,049)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 0	$ 0