The number of general types of liabilities related to contracts with customers.

No definition available.

Name:	penn_ContractWithCustomerNumberOfTypesOfLiability
Namespace Prefix:	penn_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents gaming taxes, pari-mutuel taxes and purse expense.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	penn_CostOfGoodsAndServicesSoldGamingTaxExpenses
Namespace Prefix:	penn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	penn_GamingAndRacingTaxesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	penn_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration has been received or is receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913815&loc=SL49130532-203044

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913847&loc=SL49130549-203045

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913815&loc=SL49130531-203044

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractWithCustomerLiability
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractWithCustomerLiabilityAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration has been received or is receivable, classified as noncurrent.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913815&loc=SL49130531-203044

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913847&loc=SL49130549-203045

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913815&loc=SL49130532-203044

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractWithCustomerLiabilityNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisaggregationOfRevenueLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, excluding tax collected from customer, of revenue from satisfaction of performance obligation by transferring promised good or service to customer. Tax collected from customer is tax assessed by governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transaction, including, but not limited to, sales, use, value added and excise.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 32
-Paragraph 2A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82859839&loc=SL82860478-203043

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913847&loc=SL49130545-203045

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period in which remaining performance obligation is expected to be recognized as revenue, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (b)(1)
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 270
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173487&loc=SL51747714-108306

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RevenueRemainingPerformanceObligationExpectedTimingOfSatisfactionPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_CorporateNonSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=penn_NortheastMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=penn_SouthWestMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=penn_MidwestMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=penn_CasinoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=penn_FoodAndBeverageMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=penn_OccupancyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=penn_RacingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=penn_ManagementServiceIncentiveMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=penn_OtherServicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	penn_ContractWithCustomerLiabilityAxis=penn_ContractWithCustomerLiabilityLoyaltyCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	penn_ContractWithCustomerLiabilityAxis=penn_ContractWithCustomerLiabilityAdvancePaymentsOnGoodsAndServicesYetToBeProvidedAndUnpaidWagersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Revenue Disaggregation and Customer-related Liabilities (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($) item	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	$ 816,085
Customer-related Liabilities
Number of general types of liabilities related to contracts with customers \| item	2
Other
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	$ 10,536
Northeast \| Operating Segments
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	414,167
South/West \| Operating Segments
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	161,296
Midwest \| Operating Segments
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	230,086
Gaming
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	654,494
Gaming and Racing Taxes
Gaming and racing taxes	247,400	$ 244,400
Gaming \| Northeast \| Operating Segments
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	355,785
Gaming \| South/West \| Operating Segments
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	97,547
Gaming \| Midwest \| Operating Segments
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	201,162
Food And Beverage
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	63,643
Food And Beverage \| Other
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	263
Food And Beverage \| Northeast \| Operating Segments
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	19,180
Food And Beverage \| South/West \| Operating Segments
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	28,279
Food And Beverage \| Midwest \| Operating Segments
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	15,921
Lodging
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	33,521
Lodging \| Northeast \| Operating Segments
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	1,967
Lodging \| South/West \| Operating Segments
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	23,601
Lodging \| Midwest \| Operating Segments
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	7,953
Racing
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	6,810
Racing \| Other
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	1,527
Racing \| Northeast \| Operating Segments
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	5,276
Racing \| South/West \| Operating Segments
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	7
Reimbursable management costs
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	28,184
Reimbursable management costs \| Northeast \| Operating Segments
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	21,844
Reimbursable management costs \| South/West \| Operating Segments
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	6,340
Other
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	29,433
Other \| Other
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	8,746
Other \| Northeast \| Operating Segments
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	10,115
Other \| South/West \| Operating Segments
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	5,522
Other \| Midwest \| Operating Segments
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenues	5,050
Loyalty credit
Customer-related Liabilities
Customer-related liability	$ 22,400		$ 24,700
Performance obligation settlement period	6 months
Advance payments on goods and services yet to be provided and unpaid wagers
Customer-related Liabilities
Customer-related liability	$ 21,100			$ 21,200
Long-term customer-related liability	$ 1,200			$ 1,300