Financial Information for Guarantor Subsidiaries and Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details 3) (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
Net (loss) income	$ (8,533)	$ (4,124)	$ 7,019	$ (6,932)	$ (158,449)	$ 8,704	$ (4,343)	$ 4,887	$ (12,570)	$ (149,201)	$ (39,879)
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
Change in deferred income taxes									(81)	124,143	15,196
Non-cash interest expense									8,107	7,163	14,035
Gain or loss from asset disposal											175
Undistributed earnings from equity investments									5,776	(14,679)	(27,300)
Stock-based compensation									21,538	22,807	34,589
Loss (gain) on early extinguishment of debt						2,200			4,185	2,932	(4,829)
Restructuring and write-down of assets										8,390	54,075
Changes in working capital and other									25,520	27,252	22,231
Net cash provided by operating activities									171,078	170,573	220,077
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital and wagering systems expenditures									(91,884)	(72,278)	(77,542)
Equity method investment									(19,393)	(203,795)
Proceeds from sale of Racing Business										35,942
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired									(52,953)	(12,493)	(86,560)
Other assets and investments									3,091	(34,961)	(24,100)
Net cash used in investing activities									(161,139)	(287,585)	(188,202)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds/payments on long-term debt									(7,806)	31,688	112,657
Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation plans									139	502	(1,236)
Payments of financing fees									(14,620)	(13,655)	(15,647)
Net proceeds from stock issue									(2,354)	(1,995)	1,912
Purchase of teasury stock										(26,335)	(5,539)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities									(24,641)	(9,795)	92,147
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash									(5,177)	(9,043)	432
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents									(19,879)	(135,850)	124,454
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period				124,281				260,131	124,281	260,131	140,639
Cash and cash equivalents of held for sale operations											(4,962)
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	104,402				124,281				104,402	124,281	260,131
Parent Company
Condensed Financial Statements
Net (loss) income									(12,570)	(149,201)	(39,879)
Depreciation and amortization									531	501	676
Change in deferred income taxes									3,960	58,650	21,324
Equity in income of subsidiaries									(55,351)	(19,167)	795
Non-cash interest expense									720	886	10,200
Stock-based compensation									21,538	22,807	34,589
Loss (gain) on early extinguishment of debt										2,260	(4,829)
Restructuring and write-down of assets										3,532
Changes in working capital and other									10,125	6,223	(1,901)
Net cash provided by operating activities									(31,047)	(73,509)	20,975
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital and wagering systems expenditures									(2,110)	(101)	(18)
Investments in subsidiaries										(57,163)	(407)
Proceeds from sale of Racing Business										35,942
Other assets and investments									2,683	28,936	10,375
Net cash used in investing activities									573	7,614	9,950
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds/payments on long-term debt										52,982	(267,598)
Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation plans										435	(1,305)
Payments of financing fees									(122)	(6,686)	(926)
Net proceeds from stock issue									(2,354)	(1,995)	1,912
Purchase of teasury stock										(26,335)	(5,539)
Other, principally intercompany balances									(4,925)	(40,019)	326,803
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities									(7,401)	(21,618)	53,347
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash									(721)	2,930
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents									(38,596)	(84,583)	84,272
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period				62,637				147,221	62,637	147,221	62,949
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	24,041				62,637				24,041	62,637	147,221
SGI
Condensed Financial Statements
Net (loss) income									(18,595)	(30,628)	(46,845)
Depreciation and amortization									29,854	53,696	60,669
Change in deferred income taxes									4,301	17,963	3,645
Equity in income of subsidiaries									(64,692)	(81,454)	(1,654)
Non-cash interest expense									7,387	6,277	3,835
Undistributed earnings from equity investments									22,918	(7,576)	(21,712)
Loss (gain) on early extinguishment of debt									4,185	672
Restructuring and write-down of assets										985
Changes in working capital and other									27,240	22,256	10,145
Net cash provided by operating activities									12,598	(17,809)	8,083
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital and wagering systems expenditures									(37,044)	(25,325)	(25,452)
Investments in subsidiaries									13,552	(59,609)	(137,066)
Equity method investment									(11,092)	(3,817)
Other assets and investments									(75)	(14,813)	(8,645)
Net cash used in investing activities									(34,659)	(103,564)	(171,163)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds/payments on long-term debt									(6,280)	31,135	339,227
Payments of financing fees									(14,498)	(6,969)	(14,721)
Net proceeds from stock issue										103,940	(3,075)
Other, principally intercompany balances									44,298	(6,465)	(158,418)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities									23,520	121,641	163,013
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash									(1,555)	(253)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents									(94)	15	(67)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period				152				137	152	137	204
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	58				152				58	152	137
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net (loss) income									63,940	85,186	68,975
Depreciation and amortization									19,000	18,337	18,153
Change in deferred income taxes									(9,320)	(730)	(9,320)
Undistributed earnings from equity investments									1,581	(764)
Changes in working capital and other									(7,895)	(2,783)	(3,359)
Net cash provided by operating activities									67,306	99,246	74,449
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital and wagering systems expenditures									(13,660)	(4,357)	(5,609)
Equity method investment									(1,072)	(343)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired										(6,556)	(96)
Other assets and investments									217	(13,338)	(7,431)
Net cash used in investing activities									(14,515)	(24,594)	(13,136)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds from stock issue									28	4,879	35,873
Other, principally intercompany balances									(52,719)	(80,531)	(94,879)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities									(52,691)	(75,652)	(59,006)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents									100	(1,000)	2,307
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period				2,278				(280)	2,278	(280)	(2,587)
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	2,378				2,278				2,378	2,278	(280)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net (loss) income									74,698	46,063	(21,271)
Depreciation and amortization									69,218	69,232	72,286
Change in deferred income taxes									978	48,260	(453)
Gain or loss from asset disposal											175
Undistributed earnings from equity investments									(21,828)	(6,339)	(5,588)
Restructuring and write-down of assets										5,922	54,075
Changes in working capital and other									(785)	1,527	17,367
Net cash provided by operating activities									122,281	164,665	116,591
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital and wagering systems expenditures									(39,070)	(42,495)	(46,463)
Investments in subsidiaries									(473,220)	(160,938)	(245,101)
Equity method investment									(7,229)	(199,635)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired									(52,953)	(5,937)	(86,464)
Other assets and investments									266	(35,741)	(18,399)
Net cash used in investing activities									(572,206)	(444,746)	(396,427)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds/payments on long-term debt									(1,526)	(52,429)	41,028
Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation plans									139	67	69
Net proceeds from stock issue									459,393	166,844	349,777
Other, principally intercompany balances									13,147	126,860	(74,458)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities									471,153	241,342	316,416
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash									(2,515)	(11,543)	1,362
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents									18,712	(50,282)	37,942
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period				59,214				113,053	59,214	113,053	80,073
Cash and cash equivalents of held for sale operations											(4,962)
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	77,926				59,214				77,926	59,214	113,053
Eliminating Entries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net (loss) income									(120,043)	(100,621)	(859)
Equity in income of subsidiaries									120,043	100,621	859
Undistributed earnings from equity investments									3,105
Restructuring and write-down of assets										(2,049)
Changes in working capital and other									(3,165)	29	(21)
Net cash provided by operating activities									(60)	(2,020)	(21)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Investments in subsidiaries									459,668	277,710	382,574
Other assets and investments										(5)
Net cash used in investing activities									459,668	277,705	382,574
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds from stock issue									(459,421)	(275,663)	(382,575)
Other, principally intercompany balances									199	155	952
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities									(459,222)	(275,508)	(381,623)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash									$ (386)	$ (177)	$ (930)