Financial Information for Guarantor Subsidiaries and Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	$ 95,693	$ 107,928
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(112,343)	(80,026)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(396)	(23,989)
Other assets and investments	(4,142)	16,715
Net cash used in investing activities	(116,881)	(87,300)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	(9,619)	77,827
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	(2,138)	(4,797)
Payments of financing fees	(1,981)	(13,497)
Purchases of treasury stock	0	(47,401)
Other, principally intercompany balances	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(13,738)	12,132
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(628)	(1,208)
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(35,554)	31,552
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	109,015	104,402
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	73,461	135,954
Parent Company
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(44,667)	(37,200)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(5,464)	(1,895)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Other assets and investments	9,853	(193)
Net cash used in investing activities	4,389	(2,088)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	0	0
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	(2,138)	(4,797)
Payments of financing fees	0	0
Purchases of treasury stock		(47,401)
Other, principally intercompany balances	32,279	128,351
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	30,141	76,153
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(10,137)	36,865
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	27,160	24,042
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	17,023	60,907
SGI
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(16,086)	1,041
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(20,461)	(23,174)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	(1,000)
Other assets and investments	13,984	(20,820)
Net cash used in investing activities	(6,477)	(44,994)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	(4,710)	95,290
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	0	0
Payments of financing fees	(1,981)	(13,497)
Purchases of treasury stock		0
Other, principally intercompany balances	28,976	(37,773)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	22,285	44,020
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	179	14
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(99)	81
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	201	56
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	102	137
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	43,266	41,034
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(24,345)	(12,542)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Other assets and investments	0	156
Net cash used in investing activities	(24,345)	(12,386)
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
Purchases of treasury stock		0
Other, principally intercompany balances	(23,397)	(29,126)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(23,397)	(29,121)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(4,476)	(473)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	2,378	2,379
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	(2,098)	1,906
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	113,180	103,011
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital, lottery and gaming systems expenditures	(62,073)	(42,415)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(396)	(22,989)
Other assets and investments	36,287	109,208
Net cash used in investing activities	(26,182)	43,804
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	(4,909)	(17,463)
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	(64,266)	(71,650)
Payments of financing fees	0	0
Purchases of treasury stock		0
Other, principally intercompany balances	(37,858)	(61,401)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(107,033)	(150,514)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(807)	(1,222)
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(20,842)	(4,921)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	79,276	77,925
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	58,434	73,004
Eliminating Entries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	0	42
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	(64,266)	(71,636)
Net cash used in investing activities	(64,266)	(71,636)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	0	0
Net redemptions of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	64,266	71,645
Payments of financing fees	0	0
Purchases of treasury stock		0
Other, principally intercompany balances	0	(51)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	64,266	71,594
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
(Decrease) increase 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