Financial Information for Guarantor Subsidiaries and Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 152,627	$ 143,241
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital and wagering systems expenditures	(39,835)	(52,129)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(50,177)	(12,493)
Other assets and investments	(77,770)	(154,221)
Net cash used in investing activities	(167,782)	(218,843)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	(6,232)	112,783
Net proceeds from issuance of stock	(1,426)	(2,067)
Purchases of treasury stock		(26,334)
Payments of financing fees	(9,186)	(12,969)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(16,844)	71,413
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(5,403)	(8,965)
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(37,402)	(13,154)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	124,281	260,131
Cash and cash equivalents of held for sale operations		2,593
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	86,879	249,570
Parent Company
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	(34,903)	(20,614)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital and wagering systems expenditures	(1,499)	(71)
Other assets and investments	(368)	(129,480)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,867)	(129,551)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt		132,495
Net proceeds from issuance of stock	(1,426)	(2,067)
Purchases of treasury stock		(26,334)
Payments of financing fees	(67)	(6,042)
Other, principally intercompany balances	(2,974)	37,102
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(4,467)	135,154
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(720)
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(41,959)	(15,011)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	62,639	147,220
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	20,680	132,209
SGI
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	37,712	63
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital and wagering systems expenditures	(23,768)	(21,649)
Other assets and investments	(17,332)	(137,026)
Net cash used in investing activities	(41,100)	(158,675)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	(4,710)	32,705
Net proceeds from issuance of stock		135,915
Payments of financing fees	(9,119)	(6,927)
Other, principally intercompany balances	18,424	(3,130)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	4,595	158,563
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(1,253)	60
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(44)	11
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	150	137
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	106	148
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	48,075	58,214
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital and wagering systems expenditures	(1,766)	(3,546)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired		(6,556)
Other assets and investments	(9,108)	(12,039)
Net cash used in investing activities	(10,874)	(22,141)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds from issuance of stock	20	4,887
Other, principally intercompany balances	(38,555)	(46,681)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(38,535)	(41,794)
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(1,334)	(5,721)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	2,279	3,278
Cash and cash equivalents of held for sale operations		1,524
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	945	(919)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	101,770	105,552
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital and wagering systems expenditures	(12,802)	(26,863)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(50,177)	(5,937)
Other assets and investments	(523,575)	(185,454)
Net cash used in investing activities	(586,554)	(218,254)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds (payments) on long-term debt	(1,522)	(52,417)
Net proceeds from issuance of stock	470,235	168,999
Other, principally intercompany balances	22,938	12,564
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	491,651	129,146
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(934)	(8,877)
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	5,935	7,567
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	59,213	109,496
Cash and cash equivalents of held for sale operations		1,069
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	65,148	118,132
Eliminating Entries
Condensed Financial Statements
Net cash provided by operating activities	(27)	26
Cash flows from investing activities:
Other assets and investments	472,613	309,778
Net cash used in investing activities	472,613	309,778
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds from issuance of stock	(470,255)	(309,801)
Other, principally intercompany balances	167	145
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(470,088)	(309,656)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	$ (2,496)	$ (148)