Segment Information - Information About Reported Segments (Details)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($) Segments	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Racing	$ 23,900,000	$ 26,200,000
Casinos	87,500,000	86,500,000
TwinSpires	52,000,000	49,600,000
Big Fish Games	112,000,000	122,100,000
Other Investments	$ 4,100,000	4,000,000
Number of Operating Segments | Segments	6
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions	$ 37,500,000	16,400,000
Intercompany net revenues	0	0
Adjusted EBITDA	57,300,000	46,700,000
Stock-based compensation	4,900,000	4,100,000
Other income, expense:	(200,000)	0
Interest, depreciation and amortization expense related to equity investments	3,500,000	2,500,000
Other charges and recoveries, net	0	400,000
Acquisition expense, net	200,000	2,700,000
Calder exit costs	400,000	400,000
Total adjustments to EBITDA	(9,200,000)	(10,100,000)
Adjusted Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation, and Amortization	57,300,000	46,700,000
Total adjustments to EBITDA	24,500,000	27,000,000
Adjusted EBITDA	11,800,000	10,600,000
Income (loss) from operations before provision for income taxes	11,800,000	(1,000,000)
Income tax (provision) benefit	4,500,000	(3,800,000)
Earnings Before Interest Taxes Depreciation and Amortization	48,100,000	36,600,000
Net income	7,300,000	2,800,000
Foreign currency translation, net of tax	100,000	0
Comprehensive income	7,200,000	2,800,000
Racing Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Racing	23,900,000	26,200,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions	23,600,000	9,400,000
Intercompany net revenues	2,200,000	2,300,000
Adjusted EBITDA	(9,700,000)	(7,400,000)
Racing Segment [Member] | Churchill Downs
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Racing	2,300,000	2,300,000
Intercompany net revenues	300,000	300,000
Racing Segment [Member] | Arlington Park
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Racing	8,500,000	9,000,000
Intercompany net revenues	1,000,000	1,000,000
Racing Segment [Member] | Fair Grounds
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Racing	12,500,000	14,300,000
Intercompany net revenues	900,000	1,000,000
Racing Segment [Member] | Calder
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Racing	600,000	600,000
Casino Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Casinos	87,500,000	86,500,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions	8,100,000	3,300,000
Adjusted EBITDA	35,300,000	34,300,000
Casino Segment [Member] | Oxford Casino
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Casinos	20,900,000	19,900,000
Casino Segment [Member] | Riverwalk Casino
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Casinos	11,500,000	12,700,000
Casino Segment [Member] | Harlows Casino
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Casinos	13,500,000	13,000,000
Casino Segment [Member] | Calder Casinos
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Casinos	21,400,000	20,300,000
Casino Segment [Member] | Fair Grounds Slots
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Casinos	10,200,000	10,600,000
Casino Segment [Member] | VSI
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Casinos	9,700,000	9,800,000
Casino Segment [Member] | Saratoga Casino Holdings, LLC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Casinos	300,000	200,000
TwinSpires [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
TwinSpires	52,000,000	49,600,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions	3,200,000	1,900,000
Intercompany net revenues	300,000	300,000
Adjusted EBITDA	13,200,000	12,100,000
Big Fish Games [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Big Fish Games	112,000,000	122,100,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions	2,000,000	1,200,000
Adjusted EBITDA	20,300,000	8,900,000
Other Investments Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Other Investments	4,100,000	4,000,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions	400,000	200,000
Intercompany net revenues	1,400,000	900,000
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions	200,000	400,000
Adjusted EBITDA	(2,400,000)	(2,000,000)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Intercompany net revenues	(3,900,000)	(3,500,000)
Social casino | Big Fish Games [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Big Fish Games	46,200,000	47,500,000
Casual and mid-core free-to-play | Big Fish Games [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Big Fish Games	45,300,000	50,400,000
Premium | Big Fish Games [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Big Fish Games	20,500,000	24,200,000
Saratoga Harness Racing Inc Joint Venture [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted Corporate EBITDA	(2,400,000.0)	(2,000,000)
Saratoga Harness Racing Inc Joint Venture [Member] | Racing Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA	(9,700,000.0)	(7,400,000.0)
Saratoga Harness Racing Inc Joint Venture [Member] | Casino Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA	35,300,000.0	34,300,000.0
Saratoga Harness Racing Inc Joint Venture [Member] | TwinSpires [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA	13,200,000.0	12,100,000.0
Saratoga Harness Racing Inc Joint Venture [Member] | Big Fish Games [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA	20,300,000.0	8,900,000.0
Saratoga Harness Racing Inc Joint Venture [Member] | Other Investments Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA	$ 600,000.0	$ 800,000.0