Segment Information (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) segment	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($) segment	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2019 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments | segment				4
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 1,323,094		$ 826,913	$ 2,605,665	$ 1,642,998
Adjusted EBITDAR:
Adjusted EBITDAR	406,457		247,106	797,894	489,652
Rent expense associated with triple net operating lease	(90,025)		0	(174,755)	0
Stock-based compensation	(3,247)		(3,003)	(6,664)	(5,932)
Cash-settled stock-based awards variance	3,436		(7,800)	2,964	(338)
Gain (loss) on disposal of assets	(371)		52	(893)	(3)
Contingent purchase price	(1,040)		(202)	(5,757)	(1,337)
Pre-opening and acquisition costs	(3,700)		(5,879)	(8,080)	(11,972)
Depreciation and amortization	(106,020)		(58,559)	(210,073)	(118,949)
Recoveries on loan loss and unfunded loan commitments, net of impairment losses	0		16,985	0	16,367
Insurance recoveries, net of deductible charges	0		68	0	68
Non-operating items for Kansas JV	(855)		(1,279)	(1,928)	(2,572)
Interest expense	(135,039)		(115,873)	(267,626)	(231,613)
Interest income	257		241	576	490
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0		(2,579)	0	(3,461)
Other	43		(48)	43	(44)
Income before income taxes	69,896		69,230	125,701	130,356
Income tax expense	(18,539)		(15,242)	(33,357)	(30,931)
Net income	51,357		53,988	92,344	99,425
Capital expenditures:
Capital expenditures	57,364		21,145	95,030	32,958
Assets:
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	127,219	$ 128,488		127,219
Total assets	14,209,225	$ 10,961,012		14,209,225		$ 13,424,830
South/West segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of new reportable segments from division of segment | segment		2
Operating segments | Northeast segment
Revenues:
Revenues	599,086		465,285	1,149,664	924,004
Adjusted EBITDAR:
Adjusted EBITDAR	186,190		148,394	350,944	293,371
Capital expenditures:
Capital expenditures	31,781		8,489	44,466	12,701
Assets:
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	143	$ 105		143
Total assets	2,315,457	1,330,256		2,315,457
Operating segments | South segment
Revenues:
Revenues	282,188		62,618	574,130	125,948
Adjusted EBITDAR:
Adjusted EBITDAR	92,761		20,545	190,605	41,663
Capital expenditures:
Capital expenditures	7,698		2,814	16,570	3,496
Assets:
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	0	0		0
Total assets	1,443,203	1,082,304		1,443,203
Operating segments | West segment
Revenues:
Revenues	164,250		100,751	322,904	198,717
Adjusted EBITDAR:
Adjusted EBITDAR	50,460		26,103	100,383	50,034
Capital expenditures:
Capital expenditures	7,065		2,510	14,092	5,240
Assets:
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	0	0		0
Total assets	750,615	755,665		750,615
Operating segments | Midwest segment
Revenues:
Revenues	268,160		188,162	539,422	373,696
Adjusted EBITDAR:
Adjusted EBITDAR	97,793		67,543	197,012	135,728
Capital expenditures:
Capital expenditures	9,344		5,144	16,383	8,151
Assets:
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	88,561	89,350		88,561
Total assets	1,482,103	1,411,468		1,482,103
Other
Revenues:
Revenues	9,410		10,097	19,545	20,633
Adjusted EBITDAR:
Adjusted EBITDAR	(20,747)		(15,479)	(41,050)	(31,144)
Capital expenditures:
Capital expenditures	1,476		$ 2,188	3,519	$ 3,370
Assets:
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	38,515	39,033		38,515
Total assets	$ 8,217,847	$ 6,381,319		$ 8,217,847