Segment Information - Information About Reported Segments (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	[1]	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Segment	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of operating segments | Segment										6
Net revenue	$ 272,387		$ 279,765	$ 409,239	$ 250,910	$ 168,122	$ 173,483	$ 303,472	$ 167,141	$ 1,212,301	$ 812,218	$ 779,028
Net revenue										0	0	0
Racing:
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										248,603	261,453	274,269
Net revenue										14,201	14,601	12,495
Casinos:
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										332,299	328,294	297,176
TwinSpires
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										200,168	190,333	184,541
Net revenue										1,032	958	853
Big Fish Games:
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										413,685	13,855	0
Other Investments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										16,636	17,125	21,899
Net revenue										3,532	4,130	4,409
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										910	1,158	1,143
Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										(18,765)	(19,689)	(17,757)
Casino | Big Fish Games:
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										193,428	7,627	0
Casual free-to-play | Big Fish Games:
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										125,321	2,098	0
Premium | Big Fish Games:
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										94,936	4,130	0
Oxford Casino | Casinos:
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										80,405	76,526	34,350
Riverwalk Casino | Casinos:
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										49,758	50,139	53,645
Harlow’s Casino | Casinos:
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										48,978	50,199	52,440
Calder Casinos | Casinos:
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										77,421	77,003	78,951
Fair Grounds Slots | Casinos:
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										38,408	40,774	42,156
VSI | Casinos:
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										36,913	33,653	35,634
Saratoga | Casinos:
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										416	0	0
Churchill Downs | Racing:
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										151,125	143,191	132,845
Net revenue										7,832	7,038	6,686
Arlington | Racing:
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										54,405	60,312	64,483
Net revenue										5,063	5,767	3,395
Fair Grounds | Racing:
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										40,343	38,625	40,677
Net revenue										1,306	1,089	1,151
Calder | Racing:
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue										2,730	19,325	36,264
Net revenue										$ 0	$ 707	$ 1,263

[1] Refer to Note 12—Director and Employee Benefit Plans for discussion of an out of period adjustment during the fourth quarter of 2015.