Loss Contingency, Damages Claimed, Value

No definition available.

Name:	sgms_LossContingencyDamagesClaimedValue
Namespace Prefix:	sgms_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the surety bond deposited by the subsidiary of the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sgms_LossContingencyDepositOfSuretyBond
Namespace Prefix:	sgms_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Loss Contingency, Third Party Erroneous Winning Jackpot Face Amount

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sgms_LossContingencyThirdPartyErroneousWinningJackpotFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	sgms_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Loss Contingency, Third Party Loss

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sgms_LossContingencyThirdPartyLoss
Namespace Prefix:	sgms_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of judgment or settlement awarded to (against) the entity in respect of litigation.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

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

- Definition

Amount of loss contingency liability.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

The value (monetary amount) of the award the plaintiff seeks in the legal matter.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14557-108349

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The estimated maximum amount of possible loss from the contingency.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14557-108349

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyRangeOfPossibleLossMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=sgms_CzechRepublicBarcrestMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=sgms_EcosaludMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=sgms_OregonStateLotteryMatterMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=sgms_BallyTechnologiesInc.Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=us-gaap_GuaranteeOfBusinessRevenueMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=us-gaap_PerformanceGuaranteeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Litigation (Details) $ in Millions, COP in Billions		1 Months Ended				9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Litigation (Details) $ in Millions, COP in Billions	Apr. 16, 2012 EUR (€)	Oct. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2015 EUR (€)	May. 31, 2013 USD ($)	May. 31, 2013 COP	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Litigation
Loss contingency accrual							$ 16.4	$ 47.3
Legal contingencies, liability, high range							13.2
Litigation settlement amount		$ 0.5
Barcrest
Litigation
Third party erroneous winning jackpot face amount (in excess of 400 million euros) \| €	€ 400,000,000
Third party loss \| €	€ 1,500,000
Litigation settlement amount \| €			€ 25,000,000.0
Ecosalud
Litigation
Litigation settlement amount				$ 28.5	COP 90
Oregon State Lottery Matter
Litigation
Damages claimed							134.0
Bally Technologies Inc.
Litigation
Damages sought						$ 100.0
Guarantee of business revenue
Litigation
Legal contingencies, liability, high range							5.0
Performance guarantee
Litigation
Surety bond							$ 4.0