Investments in and Advances to Unconsolidated Affiliates (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Feb. 20, 2020 $ / shares shares	Feb. 29, 2020 USD ($) renewal_option $ / shares	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($) $ / shares	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) $ / shares
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.01		$ 0.01		$ 0.01
Investment purchase price, cash			$ 135.0	$ 0.0
Investment purchase price, shares			23.1
Summary financial information
Net income attributable to Penn National			$ 4.1	5.7
Series D Preferred Stock
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Issuance of stock (in shares) | shares	883
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.01		$ 0.01
Preferred stock, conversion ratio	0.001
Preferred stock, conversion period	4 years
Preferred stock, percent to convert in each tranche	20.00%
Barstool Sports, Inc
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Ownership interest			36.00%
Investment acquired, percent		36.00%
Investment acquired, percent, delayed basis		1.00%
Investment purchase price		$ 161.2
Investment purchase price, cash		135.0
Investment purchase price, shares		$ 23.1
Investment acquired, period after which ownership will increase		3 years
Investment acquired, ownership percentage following additional investment		50.00%
Investment acquired, expected additional investment		$ 62.0
Investment acquired, valuation of acquiree total common stock outstanding at time of acquisition		$ 450.0
Investment acquired, period after which remaining shares of investment are callable		3 years
Investment acquired, fair market value at time of exercise, cap		$ 650.0
Investment acquired, multiplier of revenue to calculate floor at time of exercise		2.25
Investment acquired, forward arrangements, fair value		$ 3.1
Commercial agreement term		10 years
Commercial agreement number of renewals | renewal_option		3
Commercial agreement renewal term		10 years
Commercial agreement term with exercise of renewals		40 years
Customer list intangible asset		$ 2.4
Prepaid advertising		17.5
Prepaid advertising, long-term		$ 16.3
Kansas Entertainment
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Ownership interest			50.00%
Investment balance			$ 87.0		$ 90.8
Summary financial information
Revenues			34.2	39.5
Operating expenses			24.4	27.5
Operating income			9.8	12.0
Net income			9.8	12.0
Net income attributable to Penn National			$ 4.9	$ 6.0
Freehold Raceway
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Ownership interest			50.00%
MAXXAM
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Ownership interest			50.00%
Other-than-temporary impairment of investment			$ 4.6
Barstool Sports, Inc
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 0.0001
Investment balance			144.7
Capitalized transaction costs included in investment			$ 3.4