Financial Information for Guarantor Subsidiaries and Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 23,235	$ 21,924
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(36,280)	(21,797)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(287)	(344)
Other assets and investments	1,656	2,339
Net cash used in investing activities	(34,911)	(19,802)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	(624)	(3,551)
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	(2,945)	(3,555)
Purchase of treasury stock		0
Payment of financing fees	(24)	(57)
Other, principally intercompany balances	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(3,593)	(7,163)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(3,727)	1,042
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(18,996)	(3,999)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	109,015	104,402
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	90,019	100,403
Parent Company
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	(15,176)	(14,095)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(1,492)	(423)
Other assets and investments	(159)	(12)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,651)	(435)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	0	0
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	(2,945)	(3,555)
Purchase of treasury stock		0
Payment of financing fees		0
Other, principally intercompany balances	9,315	15,946
Net cash used in financing activities	6,370	12,391
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(10,457)	(2,139)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	27,160	24,042
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	16,703	21,903
SGI
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	646	14,044
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(4,221)	(6,078)
Other assets and investments	(15)	(51,411)
Net cash used in investing activities	(4,236)	(57,489)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	(1,570)	(1,570)
Purchase of treasury stock		0
Payment of financing fees	(24)	(57)
Other, principally intercompany balances	5,433	45,041
Net cash used in financing activities	3,839	43,414
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(299)	272
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(50)	241
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	201	56
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	151	297
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,767	1,337
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(8,415)	(3,757)
Other assets and investments	0	156
Net cash used in investing activities	(8,415)	(3,601)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	0	5
Purchase of treasury stock		0
Other, principally intercompany balances	6,345	998
Net cash used in financing activities	6,345	1,003
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(303)	(1,261)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	2,378	2,379
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	2,075	1,118
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	35,998	20,593
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(22,152)	(11,539)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(287)	(344)
Other assets and investments	1,830	55,742
Net cash used in investing activities	(20,609)	43,859
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	946	(1,981)
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	0	(2,141)
Purchase of treasury stock		0
Other, principally intercompany balances	(21,107)	(61,940)
Net cash used in financing activities	(20,161)	(66,062)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(3,428)	770
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(8,200)	(840)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	79,276	77,925
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	71,076	77,085
Eliminating Entries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	0	45
Cash flows from investing activities:
Other assets and investments	0	(2,136)
Net cash used in investing activities	0	(2,136)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	0	2,136
Purchase of treasury stock		0
Other, principally intercompany balances	14	(45)
Net cash used in financing activities	14	2,091
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	14
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 14