Financial Information for Guarantor Subsidiaries and Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details 2) (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	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Condensed Financial Statements
Operating revenues	$ 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 ticket revenue, cost of services and cost of sales	135,801	124,679	118,954	111,845	120,405	132,838	132,998	128,625	491,279	514,866	549,468
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
Operating income (loss)	19,228	21,376	28,864	14,353	(11,045)	21,747	26,531	21,503	83,821	58,736	(27)
Interest expense									104,703	101,613	87,498
Other (income) expense									(24,295)	(37,564)	(61,193)
Net income (loss) before income tax expense									3,413	(5,313)	(26,332)
Income tax expense									15,983	143,888	13,547
Net loss	(8,533)	(4,124)	7,019	(6,932)	(158,449)	8,704	(4,343)	4,887	(12,570)	(149,201)	(39,879)
Parent Company
Condensed Financial Statements
Selling, general and administrative expenses									61,537	46,922	63,330
Employee termination and restructuring costs											1,346
Depreciation and amortization									531	501	676
Operating income (loss)									(62,068)	(47,423)	(65,352)
Interest expense									21,487	16,817	24,144
Other (income) expense									(17,200)	12,198	(50,665)
Net income (loss) before income tax expense									(66,355)	(76,438)	(38,831)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries									55,352	19,167	(795)
Income tax expense									1,567	91,930	253
Net loss									(12,570)	(149,201)	(39,879)
SGI
Condensed Financial Statements
Operating revenues									395,007	378,523	392,463
Cost of instant ticket revenue, cost of services and cost of sales									130,166	120,771	121,274
Selling, general and administrative expenses									52,655	53,711	49,143
Employee termination and restructuring costs											1,546
Depreciation and amortization									29,854	53,696	60,669
Operating income (loss)									182,332	150,345	159,831
Interest expense									81,536	82,005	58,429
Other (income) expense									184,604	164,573	149,734
Net income (loss) before income tax expense									(83,808)	(96,233)	(48,332)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries									64,691	81,454	1,654
Income tax expense									(522)	15,849	167
Net loss									(18,595)	(30,628)	(46,845)
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Operating revenues									59,426	52,344	47,987
Cost of instant ticket revenue, cost of services and cost of sales									140,230	140,467	151,888
Selling, general and administrative expenses									10,235	10,831	7,356
Depreciation and amortization									19,000	18,337	18,153
Operating income (loss)									(110,039)	(117,291)	(129,410)
Interest expense											2
Other (income) expense									(173,990)	(202,489)	(198,513)
Net income (loss) before income tax expense									63,951	85,198	69,101
Income tax expense									11	12	126
Net loss									63,940	85,186	68,975
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Operating revenues									425,729	453,118	491,066
Cost of instant ticket revenue, cost of services and cost of sales									225,400	255,254	280,103
Selling, general and administrative expenses									58,623	46,860	48,381
Write-down of assets held for sale										8,029	54,356
Employee termination and restructuring costs									1,997	602	1,028
Depreciation and amortization									69,218	69,232	72,286
Operating income (loss)									70,491	73,141	34,912
Interest expense									1,680	2,791	4,923
Other (income) expense									(20,814)	(11,810)	38,259
Net income (loss) before income tax expense									89,625	82,160	(8,270)
Income tax expense									14,927	36,097	13,001
Net loss									74,698	46,063	(21,271)
Eliminating Entries
Condensed Financial Statements
Operating revenues									(1,440)	(1,486)	(3,767)
Cost of instant ticket revenue, cost of services and cost of sales									(4,517)	(1,626)	(3,797)
Selling, general and administrative expenses									(28)	176	38
Operating income (loss)									3,105	(36)	(8)
Other (income) expense									3,105	(36)	(8)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries									(120,043)	(100,621)	(859)
Net loss									$ (120,043)	$ (100,621)	$ (859)