Reportable Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2010		Sep. 30, 2011 Segment		Sep. 30, 2010
Reportable Segment Information
Number of operating segments					3
Revenue:
Instant tickets	$ 126,693		$ 115,968		$ 370,972		$ 343,506
Services	81,429		92,813		237,272		287,527
Sales	14,617		12,280		31,399		39,400
Total revenue	222,739		221,061		639,643		670,433
Cost of instant tickets	71,785	[1]	67,138	[1]	211,151	[1]	199,282	[1]
Cost of services	42,562	[1]	57,723	[1]	122,944	[1]	167,336	[1]
Cost of sales	10,332	[1]	7,977	[1]	21,383	[1]	27,843	[1]
Selling, general and administrative expenses	47,660		36,435		130,640		115,543
Write-down of assets held for sale			2,155				8,029
Employee termination and restructuring costs	1,030		602		1,030		602
Depreciation and amortization	27,994		27,284		87,902		82,017
Operating income	21,376		21,747		64,593		69,781
Total Operating Segments
Revenue:
Instant tickets	126,693		115,968		370,972		343,506
Services	81,429		92,813		237,272		287,527
Sales	14,617		12,280		31,399		39,400
Total revenue	222,739		221,061		639,643		670,433
Cost of instant tickets	71,785		67,138		211,151		199,282
Cost of services	42,562		57,723		122,944		167,336
Cost of sales	10,332		7,977		21,383		27,843
Selling, general and administrative expenses	23,893		22,158		63,743		67,921
Write-down of assets held for sale			2,155				8,029
Employee termination and restructuring costs	1,030		602		1,030		602
Depreciation and amortization	27,860		27,158		87,511		81,644
Operating income	45,277		36,150		131,881		117,776
Printed Products Group
Revenue:
Instant tickets	126,693		115,968		370,972		343,506
Sales	2,953		1,024		6,810		6,625
Total revenue	129,646		116,992		377,782		350,131
Cost of instant tickets	71,785		67,138		211,151		199,282
Cost of sales	1,906		954		4,150		4,931
Selling, general and administrative expenses	13,029		10,269		36,521		32,239
Depreciation and amortization	8,177		8,184		24,745		25,150
Operating income	34,749		30,447		101,215		88,529
Lottery Systems Group
Revenue:
Services	49,944		46,630		150,356		148,334
Sales	9,640		6,141		22,447		24,518
Total revenue	59,584		52,771		172,803		172,852
Cost of services	26,899		26,450		79,087		78,760
Cost of sales	6,813		4,063		15,585		17,708
Selling, general and administrative expenses	6,626		5,772		16,422		18,011
Depreciation and amortization	11,939		10,969		35,185		32,622
Operating income	7,307		5,517		26,524		25,751
Diversified Gaming Group
Revenue:
Services	31,485		46,183		86,916		139,193
Sales	2,024		5,115		2,142		8,257
Total revenue	33,509		51,298		89,058		147,450
Cost of services	15,663		31,273		43,857		88,576
Cost of sales	1,613		2,960		1,648		5,204
Selling, general and administrative expenses	4,238		6,117		10,800		17,671
Write-down of assets held for sale			2,155				8,029
Employee termination and restructuring costs	1,030		602		1,030		602
Depreciation and amortization	7,744		8,005		27,581		23,872
Operating income	3,221		186		4,142		3,496
Unallocated corporate costs
Revenue:
Unallocated corporate costs	$ 23,901		$ 14,403		$ 67,288		$ 47,995

[1] Exclusive of depreciation and amortization.