Financial Information for Guarantor Subsidiaries and Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 83,356	$ 97,583
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(50,368)	(44,176)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(12,991)	0
Other assets and investments	16,967	(43,122)
Net cash used in investing activities	(46,392)	(87,298)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	(21,256)	(4,661)
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	(3,595)	(1,353)
Purchases of treasury stock	(1,895)	0
Payments of financing fees	(57)	(2,623)
Other, principally intercompany balances	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(26,803)	(8,637)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(2,132)	1,327
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	8,029	2,975
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	104,402	124,281
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	112,431	127,256
Parent Company
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	(20,287)	(13,976)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(879)	(1,037)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0
Other assets and investments	(198)	(352)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,077)	(1,389)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	0	0
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	(3,595)	(1,353)
Purchases of treasury stock	(1,895)
Payments of financing fees	0	(8)
Other, principally intercompany balances	38,612	(14,290)
Net cash used in financing activities	33,122	(15,651)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	(720)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	11,758	(31,736)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	24,042	62,639
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	35,800	30,903
SGI
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	2,646	28,257
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(15,342)	(20,932)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0
Other assets and investments	(20,860)	(9,858)
Net cash used in investing activities	(36,202)	(30,790)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	(3,140)	(3,140)
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	37,908	7,364
Net cash used in financing activities	34,711	1,609
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(119)	911
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	1,036	(13)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	55	150
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	1,091	137
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	25,011	24,844
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(7,459)	(6,524)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0
Other assets and investments	156	(730)
Net cash used in investing activities	(7,303)	(7,254)
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	11
Purchases of treasury stock	0
Payments of financing fees	0	0
Other, principally intercompany balances	(18,543)	(23,501)
Net cash used in financing activities	(18,538)	(23,490)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(830)	(5,900)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	2,379	2,279
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	1,549	(3,621)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	74,864	58,466
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(26,688)	(15,683)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(12,991)
Other assets and investments	84,219	(502,429)
Net cash used in investing activities	44,540	(518,112)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	(18,116)	(1,521)
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	(45,283)	470,236
Purchases of treasury stock	0
Payments of financing fees	0	0
Other, principally intercompany balances	(57,928)	30,419
Net cash used in financing activities	(121,327)	499,134
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(2,013)	1,136
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(3,936)	40,624
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	77,926	59,213
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	73,990	99,837
Eliminating Entries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,122	(8)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	0	0
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0
Other assets and investments	(46,350)	470,247
Net cash used in investing activities	(46,350)	470,247
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	0	0
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	45,278	(470,247)
Purchases of treasury stock	0
Payments of financing fees	0	0
Other, principally intercompany balances	(49)	8
Net cash used in financing activities	45,229	(470,239)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	1	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 1	$ 0