Financial Information for Guarantor Subsidiaries and Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	$ 70,039	$ 83,356
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(80,477)	(50,368)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(396)	(12,991)
Other assets and investments	(3,118)	16,967
Net cash used in investing activities	(83,991)	(46,392)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	(9,181)	(21,256)
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	(2,759)	(3,595)
Payments of financing fees	(1,981)	(57)
Other, principally intercompany balances	0	0
Purchases of treasury stock	0	(1,895)
Net cash used in financing activities	(13,921)	(26,803)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(3,058)	(2,132)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	(30,931)	8,029
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	109,015	104,402
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	78,084	112,431
Parent Company
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(24,132)	(20,287)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(3,828)	(879)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Other assets and investments	(153)	(198)
Net cash used in investing activities	(3,981)	(1,077)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	0	0
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	(2,759)	(3,595)
Payments of financing fees	0	0
Other, principally intercompany balances	19,776	38,612
Purchases of treasury stock	0	(1,895)
Net cash used in financing activities	17,017	33,122
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	(11,096)	11,758
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	27,160	24,042
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	16,064	35,800
SGI
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(9,148)	2,646
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(10,051)	(15,342)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Other assets and investments	9,744	(20,860)
Net cash used in investing activities	(307)	(36,202)
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
Payments of financing fees	(1,981)	(57)
Other, principally intercompany balances	14,685	37,908
Purchases of treasury stock	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	9,564	34,711
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(169)	(119)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	(60)	1,036
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	201	55
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	141	1,091
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	28,305	25,011
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(14,674)	(7,459)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Other assets and investments	0	156
Net cash used in investing activities	(14,674)	(7,303)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	0	0
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	0	5
Payments of financing fees	0	0
Other, principally intercompany balances	(14,041)	(18,543)
Purchases of treasury stock	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(14,041)	(18,538)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	(410)	(830)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	2,378	2,379
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	1,968	1,549
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	75,014	74,864
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(51,924)	(26,688)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(396)	(12,991)
Other assets and investments	48,660	84,219
Net cash used in investing activities	(3,660)	44,540
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	(6,041)	(18,116)
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	(61,382)	(45,283)
Payments of financing fees	0	0
Other, principally intercompany balances	(20,421)	(57,928)
Purchases of treasury stock	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(87,844)	(121,327)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(2,888)	(2,013)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	(19,378)	(3,936)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	79,276	77,926
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	59,898	73,990
Eliminating Entries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	0	1,122
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	(61,369)	(46,350)
Net cash used in investing activities	(61,369)	(46,350)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	0	0
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	61,382	45,278
Payments of financing fees	0	0
Other, principally intercompany balances	1	(49)
Purchases of treasury stock	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	61,383	45,229
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(1)	0
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	13	1
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 13	$ 1