Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) - Results of Operations (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Sep. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2014		Mar. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Sep. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2013		Mar. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Quarterly Financial Data [Abstract]
Total revenue	$ 289,443	[1]	$ 267,010	[1]	$ 253,608	[1]	$ 284,635	[1]	$ 271,046	[1]	$ 239,424	[1]	$ 234,219	[1]	$ 285,797	[1]	$ 1,094,696		$ 1,030,486		$ 1,139,443
Cost of revenue	137,718	[1]	122,907	[1]	112,359	[1]	132,162	[1]	118,648	[1]	101,138	[1]	96,073	[1]	128,113	[1]	505,146		443,972		507,404
Net revenue	151,725	[1]	144,103	[1]	141,249	[1]	152,473	[1]	152,398	[1]	138,286	[1]	138,146	[1]	157,684	[1]	589,550		586,514		632,039
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	7,492	[1]	(9,370)	[1]	(11,746)	[1]	3,237	[1]	7,309	[1]	27,567	[1]	4,960	[1]	19,346	[1]	(10,387)		59,182		40,901
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	14,522	[1]	19,286	[1]	32,717	[1]	42,500	[1]	19,975	[1]	18,619	[1]	20,172	[1]	24,580	[1]	109,025		83,346		66,569
Net Income Attributable to Cash America International, Inc.	$ 22,014	[1]	$ 9,916	[1]	$ 20,971	[1]	$ 45,737	[1]	$ 27,284	[1]	$ 46,186	[1]	$ 25,132	[1]	$ 43,926	[1]	$ 98,638		$ 142,528		$ 107,470
Diluted net income (loss) per share - continuing operations	$ 0.26	[1]	$ (0.32)	[1]	$ (0.41)	[1]	$ 0.11	[1]	$ 0.24	[1]	$ 0.91	[1]	$ 0.16	[1]	$ 0.62	[1]	$ (0.36)		$ 1.93		$ 1.30
Diluted Income per Share from Discontinued Operations	$ 0.50	[1]	$ 0.66	[1]	$ 1.12	[1]	$ 1.44	[1]	$ 0.67	[1]	$ 0.61	[1]	$ 0.65	[1]	$ 0.78	[1]	$ 3.72		$ 2.72		$ 2.12
Net Income Attributable to Cash America International, Inc. - diluted	$ 0.75	[1]	$ 0.34	[1]	$ 0.72	[1]	$ 1.55	[1]	$ 0.91	[1]	$ 1.52	[1]	$ 0.81	[1]	$ 1.40	[1]	$ 3.36		$ 4.66		$ 3.42
Diluted weighted average common shares	29,284	[1]	29,312	[1]	29,256	[1]	29,500	[1]	29,968	[1]	30,379	[1]	30,845	[1]	31,371	[1]	29,341	[2]	30,613	[2]	31,452	[2]

[1] The sum of the quarterly per share amounts may not sum to each full year amount presented in the Company’s financial statements because these computations are made independently for each quarter and for the full year and take into account the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for each period, including the effect of dilutive securities for that period.

[2] 70 and 12 anti-dilutive shares for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013. There were no anti-dilutive shares for the year ended December 31, 2012. When a net loss exists, all potentially dilutive securities are anti-dilutive and are therefore excluded from the diluted per-share computation.