Long-term Debt - Senior Secured Credit Facility and Senior Notes (Details)				1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 19, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Long-term Debt
Refinancing costs							$ 1,700,000
Loss on early extinguishment of debt					$ 25,100,000		23,963,000
Interest expense							466,761,000	$ 459,243,000	$ 443,127,000
Future minimum repayments of long-term debt
2018							35,612,000
2019							41,132,000
2020							49,324,000
2021							51,994,000
2022							217,828,000
Thereafter							884,311,000
Long-term debt							1,280,201,000	1,432,689,000
Senior Secured Credit Facility
Long-term Debt
Term loan amount outstanding							760,000,000
Letters of credit outstanding							22,100,000	23,000,000
Future minimum repayments of long-term debt
Long-term debt							760,000,000	976,845,000
Revolving credit facility
Long-term Debt
Term of debt	5 years		5 years
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 700,000,000		$ 500,000,000							$ 633,200,000	$ 500,000,000
Available borrowing capacity							677,900,000	419,100,000
Term Loan A Facility
Long-term Debt
Term of debt	5 years		5 years
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 300,000,000		$ 500,000,000								$ 500,000,000
Increase in maximum borrowing capacity										$ 146,700,000
Term loan amount outstanding							288,800,000
Term Loan B Facility
Long-term Debt
Term of debt	7 years		7 years
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 500,000,000		$ 250,000,000
Loss on early extinguishment of debt							2,300,000
Term loan amount outstanding							471,200,000
Senior Unsecured Notes, 5.875Percent, Due November 2021
Long-term Debt
Principal amount			$ 300,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)			5.875%
Percentage of principal amount at which the entity may redeem all or part of the notes (as a percent)			100.00%
Percentage of principal amount at which the entity may redeem notes from net proceeds raised in connection with an equity offering			105.875%
Percentage of the aggregate principal amount of the notes originally issued which must remain outstanding at redemption under terms of the notes			60.00%
Period from completion of equity offering, during which notes can be redeemed			180 days
Senior Subordinated Notes, 5.875 Percent, Due November 2021
Long-term Debt
Loss on early extinguishment of debt							21,100,000
Amount of debt extinguished					$ 300,000,000
Principal amount								$ 300,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)					5.875%			5.875%
Future minimum repayments of long-term debt
Long-term debt								$ 300,000,000
Senior Unsecured Notes 5.625 Percent Due January 15, 2027
Long-term Debt
Principal amount	$ 400,000,000						$ 400,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.625%						5.625%
Percentage of principal amount at which the entity may redeem notes from net proceeds raised in connection with an equity offering	105.625%
Period from completion of equity offering, during which notes can be redeemed	180 days
Future minimum repayments of long-term debt
Long-term debt							$ 400,000,000
Other long-term obligations
Future minimum repayments of long-term debt
Long-term debt							119,310,000	154,084,000
Repayment obligation, Hotel and Event Center
Long-term Debt
Annual payment amount				$ 1,000,000
Term of debt				20 years
Effective yield				3.00%
Interest expense							400,000	400,000
Future minimum repayments of long-term debt
Long-term debt				$ 15,300,000			$ 13,800,000	14,400,000
Corporate airplane loan
Long-term Debt
Monthly payments		$ 220,000
Term of debt		5 years
Interest rate (as a percent)		5.22%
Balloon payment		$ 12,600,000
Future minimum repayments of long-term debt
Long-term debt								20,800,000
Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway And Mahoning Valley Race Course | Ohio Relocation Fees
Long-term Debt
Discount rate (as a percent)						5.00%
Number of semi-annual payments | item						18
Semi-annual payment amount beginning one year from the commencement of operation						$ 4,800,000
Effective yield							5.00%
Interest expense							$ 5,500,000	6,200,000
Future minimum repayments of long-term debt
Long-term debt							$ 105,400,000	$ 118,900,000
Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway | Ohio Relocation Fees
Long-term Debt
Contractual obligation, relocation fee						75,000,000
Relocation fee payable upon opening of the facility						7,500,000
Mahoning Valley Race Course | Ohio Relocation Fees
Long-term Debt
Contractual obligation, relocation fee						75,000,000
Relocation fee payable upon opening of the facility						$ 7,500,000
Minimum | Senior Unsecured Notes 5.625 Percent Due January 15, 2027
Long-term Debt
Percentage of the aggregate principal amount of the notes originally issued which must remain outstanding at redemption under terms of the notes	60.00%
LIBOR | Term Loan A Facility
Long-term Debt
Variable interest rate	LIBOR		LIBOR
LIBOR | Term Loan B Facility
Long-term Debt
Variable interest rate	LIBOR		LIBOR
Variable interest rate spread (as a percent)	2.50%		2.50%
Variable interest base rate floor rate (as a percent)	0.75%		0.75%
LIBOR | Minimum | Term Loan A Facility
Long-term Debt
Variable interest rate spread (as a percent)	1.25%		1.25%
LIBOR | Maximum | Term Loan A Facility
Long-term Debt
Variable interest rate spread (as a percent)	3.00%		2.75%