Restructuring Plans - by Segment (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013		Sep. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2013		Mar. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring	$ 22.4	[1]	$ 0	[2]	$ 0	[3]	$ 0.3	[4]	$ 0.8	[5]	$ 1.8	[6]	$ 5.7	[7]	$ 2.3	[8]	$ 22.7		$ 10.6	$ 2.0
Expected total																	26.3
Goodwill impairment																	5.4	[9]
Employee Termination Costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	11.1
Expected total																	13.2
Property costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	3.1
Expected total																	3.6
Other
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	8.5
Expected total																	9.5
Printed Products
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Goodwill impairment																	5.4	[9]
Other restructuring costs																	1.4
Reversal of acquisition related earn-out liability																	2.1
Lottery Systems
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Goodwill impairment																	0	[9]
Gaming
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring, accelerated depreciation expense																	8.0
Goodwill impairment																	0	[9]
Number of immaterial business lines with exit costs																	2
WMS Acquisition
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring	5.3
Operating Segments
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	13.7		10.6	2.0
Operating Segments | Printed Products
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	4.7	[10]	5.9
Expected total																	4.7	[10]
Operating Segments | Printed Products | Employee Termination Costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	0	[10]
Expected total																	0	[10]
Operating Segments | Printed Products | Property costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	0	[10]
Expected total																	0	[10]
Operating Segments | Printed Products | Other
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	4.7	[10]
Expected total																	4.7	[10]
Operating Segments | Lottery Systems
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	0.4
Expected total																	0.4
Operating Segments | Lottery Systems | Employee Termination Costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	0.4
Expected total																	0.4
Operating Segments | Lottery Systems | Property costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	0
Expected total																	0
Operating Segments | Lottery Systems | Other
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	0
Expected total																	0
Operating Segments | Gaming
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	8.6	[11]	4.7	2.0
Expected total																	12.2	[11]
Operating Segments | Gaming | Employee Termination Costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	3.8	[11]
Expected total																	5.9	[11]
Operating Segments | Gaming | Property costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	1.0	[11]
Expected total																	1.5	[11]
Operating Segments | Gaming | Other
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	3.8	[11]
Expected total																	4.8	[11]
Un-allocated corporate
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	9.0	[12]
Expected total																	9.0	[12]
Un-allocated corporate | Employee Termination Costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	6.9	[12]
Expected total																	6.9	[12]
Un-allocated corporate | Property costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	2.1	[12]
Expected total																	2.1	[12]
Un-allocated corporate | Other
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination and restructuring																	0	[12]
Expected total																	0	[12]
Integrating Scientific Games and WMS | WMS Acquisition
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring, accelerated depreciation expense	4.6																4.6
Exit provoloto instant game operations in Mexico
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring, accelerated depreciation expense																	$ 3.1

[1] Reflects operating results of WMS from the acquisition date to December 31, 2013 including $144.7 million of revenue, $63.8 million of costs of services and product sales, $47.5 million of SG&A, $19.1 million of R&D, $5.3 million of employee termination and restructuring costs, and $40.1 million of depreciation and amortization. Results for the three months ended December 31, 2013 also included an additional $17.1 million of employee termination and restructuring costs which are described in Note 4 (Restructuring Plans). Depreciation and amortization also includes $4.6 million of accelerated depreciation and amortization related to obsolete gaming machine software and $3.1 million of accelerated depreciation and amortization related to the exit from our instant lottery game operations in Mexico. SG&A also includes $11.1 million acquisition-related fees and expenses.

[2] Includes $2.8 million of acquisition-related fees and expenses.

[3] Includes $2.7 million of acquisition-related fees and expenses, and $8.7 million of depreciation related to a write-down of used gaming machines and accelerated depreciation related to our change in the estimated useful lives of our gaming machine fixed assets.

[4] Includes $4.4 million of acquisition-related fees and expenses.

[5] Includes $0.8 million employee termination and restructuring costs due to our exit from the Barcrest analog AWP business and the reorganization of our pub business and the reorganization of our Australia printing operations. Includes $24.0 million of accelerated depreciation related to a write-down of gaming machines and software in our gaming business and certain development costs in our licensed properties business and $5.8 million of impairment charges related to underperforming Lottery Systems contracts.

[6] Includes $1.8 million employee termination and restructuring costs due to our exit from the Barcrest analog AWP business and the reorganization of our pub business and the reorganization of our Australia printing operations. Includes $6.7 million of accelerated depreciation related to a write-down of gaming machines, $1.9 million of accelerated depreciation of equipment related to reorganization of our Australia printing operations and $1.6 million of incremental depreciation from the acquisition of Barcrest. Includes a loss on early extinguishment of debt due to the redemption of the 2016 Notes resulting in a charge of $15.5 million comprised primarily of the redemption premium and the write-off of previously deferred financing costs.

[7] Includes $6.0 million employee termination and restructuring costs due to our exit from the Barcrest analog AWP business and the reorganization of our pub business and the reorganization of our Australia printing operations. Includes $5.8 million of accelerated depreciation related to a write-down of certain development costs and obsolete gaming machines, $2.4 million of incremental depreciation from the acquisition of Barcrest and $1.5 million of accelerated depreciation of equipment related to the reorganization of our Australia printing operations.

[8] Includes $2.9 million employee termination and restructuring costs due to our exit from the Barcrest analog AWP business and the reorganization of our pub business.

[9] At December 31, 2013, $5.4 million of goodwill was written off associated with the exit of our Provoloto instant lottery game operations in Mexico. See Note 3 (Acquisitions and Dispositions) for additional information.

[10] Includes other restructuring costs incurred in 2013 related to the write-off goodwill of $5.4 million and other costs of $1.4 million, offset by the reversal of an acquisition related earn-out liability of $2.1 million.

[11] Other restructuring costs reflects other costs related to the exit of two immaterial business lines.

[12] Unallocated corporate employee termination costs primarily relates to an accrual for cash severance due to our former chief executive officer.