Financial Information for Guarantor Subsidiaries and Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements
Revenue	$ 235,044		$ 226,007		$ 454,632		$ 457,201
Cost of instant ticket revenues, cost of services and cost of sales	133,374	[1]	125,584	[1]	258,092	[1]	255,777	[1]
Selling, general and administrative expenses	46,154		46,464		96,795		91,762
Employee termination and restructuring costs	0		5,747		331		8,051
Depreciation and amortization	43,064		36,818		75,833		65,286
Operating income	12,452		11,394		23,581		36,325
Interest expense	(25,138)		(24,185)		(50,146)		(49,083)
Other income (expense), net	3,688		5,707		8,826		15,074
Net (loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	(8,998)		(7,084)		(17,739)		2,316
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0		0		0		0
Income tax expense	3,385		3,828		6,931		9,360
Net loss from continuing operations	(12,383)		(10,912)		(24,670)		(7,044)
Net loss from discontinued operations	(592)		(1,677)		(1,458)		(3,726)
Net loss	(12,975)		(12,589)		(26,128)		(10,770)
Other comprehensive (loss) income	803		(27,859)		(37,308)		(2,437)
Comprehensive loss	(12,172)		(40,448)		(63,436)		(13,207)
Parent Company
Condensed Financial Statements
Revenue	0		0		0		0
Cost of instant ticket revenues, cost of services and cost of sales	0	[1]	0		0	[1]	0	[1]
Selling, general and administrative expenses	17,674		15,126		35,284		30,647
Employee termination and restructuring costs	0		0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization	163		150		323		299
Operating income	(17,837)		(15,276)		(35,607)		(30,946)
Interest expense	(5,307)		(5,305)		(10,612)		(10,607)
Other income (expense), net	816		1,027		3,280		3,215
Net (loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	(22,328)		(19,554)		(42,939)		(38,338)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	11,752		10,001		21,869		(22,270)
Income tax expense	1,807		1,359		3,600		(53,564)
Net loss from continuing operations	(12,383)		(10,912)		(24,670)		(7,044)
Net loss from discontinued operations	(592)		(1,677)		(1,458)		(3,726)
Net loss	(12,975)		(12,589)		(26,128)		(10,770)
Other comprehensive (loss) income	803		(27,859)		(37,308)		(2,437)
Comprehensive loss	(12,172)		(40,448)		(63,436)		(13,207)
SGI
Condensed Financial Statements
Revenue	106,990		104,177		207,763		210,828
Cost of instant ticket revenues, cost of services and cost of sales	34,425	[1]	33,115	[1]	66,971	[1]	66,105	[1]
Selling, general and administrative expenses	12,738		14,170		26,951		28,907
Employee termination and restructuring costs	0		0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization	9,505		7,568		18,610		14,888
Operating income	50,322		49,324		95,231		100,928
Interest expense	(19,653)		(18,605)		(39,093)		(37,777)
Other income (expense), net	(46,512)		(42,589)		(86,887)		(82,638)
Net (loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	(15,843)		(11,870)		(30,749)		(19,487)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	14,889		9,589		25,806		21,696
Income tax expense	128		44		169		58,243
Net loss from continuing operations	(1,082)		(2,325)		(5,112)		(56,034)
Net loss from discontinued operations	0		0		0		0
Net loss	(1,082)		(2,325)		(5,112)		(56,034)
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(182)		1,099		99		1,318
Comprehensive loss	(1,264)		(1,226)		(5,013)		(54,716)
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Revenue	9,792		10,601		21,907		20,150
Cost of instant ticket revenues, cost of services and cost of sales	34,718	[1]	34,533	[1]	69,066	[1]	68,747	[1]
Selling, general and administrative expenses	2,454		2,937		5,407		6,569
Employee termination and restructuring costs	0		0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization	5,517		7,916		11,023		12,693
Operating income	(32,897)		(34,785)		(63,589)		(67,859)
Interest expense	(7)		0		(8)		0
Other income (expense), net	47,871		44,392		89,536		89,713
Net (loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	14,967		9,607		25,939		21,854
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0		0		0		0
Income tax expense	0		0		0		0
Net loss from continuing operations	14,967		9,607		25,939		21,854
Net loss from discontinued operations	0		0		0		0
Net loss	14,967		9,607		25,939		21,854
Other comprehensive (loss) income	0		0		0		0
Comprehensive loss	14,967		9,607		25,939		21,854
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Revenue	118,997		112,874		226,622		228,441
Cost of instant ticket revenues, cost of services and cost of sales	66,092	[1]	60,662	[1]	125,998	[1]	125,277	[1]
Selling, general and administrative expenses	13,209		14,998		29,657		27,055
Employee termination and restructuring costs	0		5,747		331		8,051
Depreciation and amortization	27,879		21,184		45,877		37,406
Operating income	11,817		10,283		24,759		30,652
Interest expense	(171)		(275)		(433)		(699)
Other income (expense), net	2,560		4,725		5,685		8,334
Net (loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	14,206		14,733		30,011		38,287
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0		0		0		0
Income tax expense	1,450		2,425		3,162		4,681
Net loss from continuing operations	12,756		12,308		26,849		33,606
Net loss from discontinued operations	(592)		(1,677)		(1,458)		(3,726)
Net loss	12,164		10,631		25,391		29,880
Other comprehensive (loss) income	853		(28,627)		(37,352)		(3,596)
Comprehensive loss	13,017		(17,996)		(11,961)		26,284
Eliminating Entries
Condensed Financial Statements
Revenue	(735)		(1,645)		(1,660)		(2,218)
Cost of instant ticket revenues, cost of services and cost of sales	(1,861)	[1]	(2,726)	[1]	(3,943)	[1]	(4,352)	[1]
Selling, general and administrative expenses	79		(767)		(504)		(1,416)
Employee termination and restructuring costs	0		0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization	0		0		0		0
Operating income	1,047		1,848		2,787		3,550
Interest expense	0		0		0		0
Other income (expense), net	(1,047)		(1,848)		(2,788)		(3,550)
Net (loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	0		0		(1)		0
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(26,641)		(19,590)		(47,675)		574
Income tax expense	0		0		0		0
Net loss from continuing operations	(26,641)		(19,590)		(47,676)		574
Net loss from discontinued operations	592		1,677		1,458		3,726
Net loss	(26,049)		(17,913)		(46,218)		4,300
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(671)		27,528		37,253		2,278
Comprehensive loss	$ (26,720)		$ 9,615		$ (8,965)		$ 6,578

[1] Exclusive of depreciation and amortization.