Business and Geographic Segments (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011 segment		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2009
Business and Geographic Segments
Number of operating segments									3
Revenue:
Instant tickets									$ 493,275		$ 465,090		$ 453,238
Services									331,701		363,138		410,014
Sales									53,746		54,271		64,497
Total Revenue	239,079	222,739	220,248	196,656	212,066	221,061	233,033	216,339	878,722		882,499		927,749
Cost of instant tickets									281,565	[1]	270,787	[1]	270,836	[1]
Cost of services									171,374	[1]	206,034	[1]	234,093	[1]
Cost of sales									38,340	[1]	38,045	[1]	44,539	[1]
Selling, general and administrative expenses	52,382	47,660	43,426	39,554	42,957	36,435	40,552	38,556	183,022		158,500		168,248
Write-down of assets held for sale						2,155	5,874				8,029		54,356
Employee termination and restructuring costs	967	1,030				602			1,997		602		3,920
Depreciation and amortization	30,701	27,994	29,004	30,904	59,749	27,284	27,078	27,655	118,603		141,766		151,784
Unallocated corporate costs									94,163		51,553		68,797
Operating income (loss)	19,228	21,376	28,864	14,353	(11,045)	21,747	26,531	21,503	83,821		58,736		(27)
Printed Products
Revenue:
Instant tickets									493,275		465,090		453,238
Sales									9,664		9,222		13,374
Total Revenue									502,939		474,312		466,612
Cost of instant tickets									281,565		270,787		270,836
Cost of sales									5,928		6,981		8,923
Selling, general and administrative expenses									49,269		46,894		37,411
Employee termination and restructuring costs													2,016
Depreciation and amortization									32,746		33,303		32,982
Operating income (loss)									133,431		116,347		114,444
Lottery Systems
Revenue:
Services									205,801		199,439		211,015
Sales									36,528		36,597		46,372
Total Revenue									242,329		236,036		257,387
Cost of services									109,016		104,274		110,660
Cost of sales									25,134		25,716		32,619
Selling, general and administrative expenses									23,713		22,973		22,769
Employee termination and restructuring costs													125
Depreciation and amortization									46,891		64,979		68,902
Operating income (loss)									37,575		18,094		22,312
Gaming
Revenue:
Services									125,900		163,699		198,999
Sales									7,554		8,452		4,751
Total Revenue									133,454		172,151		203,750
Cost of services									62,358		101,760		123,433
Cost of sales									7,278		5,348		2,997
Selling, general and administrative expenses									16,408		20,518		24,923
Write-down of assets held for sale											8,029		54,356
Employee termination and restructuring costs									1,997		602		433
Depreciation and amortization									38,435		42,983		49,224
Operating income (loss)									6,978		(7,089)		(51,616)
Unallocated corporate costs
Revenue:
Unallocated corporate costs									94,163		68,616		83,821
Total Operating Segments
Revenue:
Instant tickets									493,275		465,090		453,238
Services									331,701		363,138		410,014
Sales									53,746		54,271		64,497
Total Revenue									878,722		882,499		927,749
Cost of instant tickets									281,565		270,787		270,836
Cost of services									171,374		206,034		234,093
Cost of sales									38,340		38,045		44,539
Selling, general and administrative expenses									89,390		90,385		85,103
Write-down of assets held for sale											8,029		54,356
Employee termination and restructuring costs									1,997		602		2,574
Depreciation and amortization									118,072		141,265		151,108
Operating income (loss)									177,984		127,352		85,140
Corporate employee termination costs													$ 1,346

[1] Exclusive of depreciation and amortization.