Subsidiary Guarantors (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet
Total current assets	$ 485,485		$ 485,485		$ 465,953
Property and equipment, net	2,179,737		2,179,737		1,965,774
Total other assets	1,882,246		1,882,246		2,031,152
Total assets	4,547,468		4,547,468		4,462,879
Total current liabilities	309,017		309,017		691,529
Total long-term liabilities	2,300,342		2,300,342		1,993,584
Total shareholders' equity	1,938,109	1,898,591	1,938,109	1,898,591	1,777,766	1,852,076
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	4,547,468		4,547,468		4,462,879
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Income
Net revenues	687,879	598,311	1,354,902	1,190,634
Total operating expenses	547,287	546,600	1,091,575	1,046,572
(Loss) income from operations	140,592	51,711	263,327	144,062
Other income (expenses)	(26,283)	(31,937)	(59,253)	(68,232)
(Loss) income from operations before income taxes	114,309	19,774	204,074	75,830
Taxes on income	38,320	12,802	76,557	32,703
Net income including noncontrolling interests	75,989	6,972	127,517	43,127
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		(2,184)		(2,193)
Net income attributable to the shareholders of Penn National Gaming, Inc. and subsidiaries	75,989	9,156	127,517	45,320
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			290,977	223,349
Net cash used in investing activities			(144,780)	(275,170)
Net cash used in financing activities			(70,597)	(263,093)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			75,600	(314,914)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year		713,118	246,385	713,118
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	321,985	398,204	321,985	398,204
Penn
Consolidating Financial Statements
Direct or indirect ownership percentage in subsidiary guarantors (as a percent)	100.00%		100.00%
Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet
Total current assets	151,664		151,664		31,422
Property and equipment, net	15,226		15,226		15,328
Total other assets	3,851,307		3,851,307		3,848,412
Total assets	4,018,197		4,018,197		3,895,162
Total current liabilities	13,365		13,365		355,018
Total long-term liabilities	2,066,724		2,066,724		1,762,379
Total shareholders' equity	1,938,108		1,938,108		1,777,765
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	4,018,197		4,018,197		3,895,162
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Income
Total operating expenses	25,294	21,466	51,307	44,344
(Loss) income from operations	(25,294)	(21,466)	(51,307)	(44,344)
Other income (expenses)	18,275	34,917	27,181	46,323
(Loss) income from operations before income taxes	(7,019)	13,451	(24,126)	1,979
Taxes on income	(13,421)	(8,046)	(22,798)	(17,948)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	6,402	21,497	(1,328)	19,927
Net income attributable to the shareholders of Penn National Gaming, Inc. and subsidiaries		21,497		19,927
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			199,268	272,657
Net cash used in investing activities			(1,322)	(1,316)
Net cash used in financing activities			(69,335)	(261,554)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			128,611	9,787
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year			6,276	6,385
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	134,887	16,172	134,887	16,172
Subsidiary Guarantors
Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet
Total current assets	293,513		293,513		261,768
Property and equipment, net	1,937,696		1,937,696		1,775,913
Total other assets	4,956,449		4,956,449		5,042,516
Total assets	7,187,658		7,187,658		7,080,197
Total current liabilities	270,230		270,230		293,588
Total long-term liabilities	3,149,356		3,149,356		3,159,736
Total shareholders' equity	3,768,072		3,768,072		3,626,873
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,187,658		7,187,658		7,080,197
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Income
Net revenues	648,907	590,706	1,277,896	1,176,084
Total operating expenses	486,304	484,084	968,545	954,786
(Loss) income from operations	162,603	106,622	309,351	221,298
Other income (expenses)	(44,243)	(66,695)	(83,344)	(113,567)
(Loss) income from operations before income taxes	118,360	39,927	226,007	107,731
Taxes on income	50,463	32,154	97,803	65,827
Net income including noncontrolling interests	67,897	7,773	128,204	41,904
Net income attributable to the shareholders of Penn National Gaming, Inc. and subsidiaries		7,773		41,904
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			9,620	192,059
Net cash used in investing activities			(2,373)	(199,610)
Net cash used in financing activities			(2,048)	(1,539)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			5,199	(9,090)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year			157,992	145,519
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	163,191	136,429	163,191	136,429
Subsidiary Non-Guarantors
Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet
Total current assets	41,027		41,027		131,204
Property and equipment, net	226,815		226,815		174,533
Total other assets	240,403		240,403		167,466
Total assets	508,245		508,245		473,203
Total current liabilities	26,139		26,139		1,370
Total long-term liabilities	32,248		32,248		45,024
Total shareholders' equity	449,858		449,858		426,809
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	508,245		508,245		473,203
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Income
Net revenues	38,972	7,605	77,006	14,550
Total operating expenses	35,689	41,050	71,723	47,442
(Loss) income from operations	3,283	(33,445)	5,283	(32,892)
Other income (expenses)	(315)	(159)	(3,090)	(988)
(Loss) income from operations before income taxes	2,968	(33,604)	2,193	(33,880)
Taxes on income	1,278	(11,306)	1,552	(15,176)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	1,690	(22,298)	641	(18,704)
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		(2,184)		(2,193)
Net income attributable to the shareholders of Penn National Gaming, Inc. and subsidiaries		(20,114)		(16,511)
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			82,089	(241,367)
Net cash used in investing activities			(141,085)	(74,244)
Net cash used in financing activities			786
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			(58,210)	(315,611)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year			82,117	561,214
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	23,907	245,603	23,907	245,603
Eliminations
Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet
Total current assets	(719)		(719)		41,559
Total other assets	(7,165,913)		(7,165,913)		(7,027,242)
Total assets	(7,166,632)		(7,166,632)		(6,985,683)
Total current liabilities	(717)		(717)		41,553
Total long-term liabilities	(2,947,986)		(2,947,986)		(2,973,555)
Total shareholders' equity	(4,217,929)		(4,217,929)		(4,053,681)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	(7,166,632)		(7,166,632)		(6,985,683)
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Income
Net income including noncontrolling interests			$ 0