Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details 2) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010
Earnings Per Share
Preferred stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	12,275		12,275		12,275
Net income loss available to common stockholders
Net income attributable to the shareholders of Penn National Gaming, Inc. and subsidiaries	$ 70,803,000	$ 48,345,000	$ 198,320,000	$ 93,665,000
Net income attributable to the shareholders of Penn National Gaming, Inc. and subsidiaries applicable to preferred stock	13,433,000	9,252,000	37,619,000	17,853,000
Net income attributable to the shareholders of Penn National Gaming, Inc. and subsidiaries applicable to common stock	57,370,000	39,093,000	160,701,000	75,812,000
Determination of shares:
Weighted-average common shares outstanding (in shares)	78,242,000	77,414,000	78,264,000	78,228,000
Assumed conversion of dilutive employee stock-based awards (in shares)	1,929,000	817,000	1,787,000	796,000
Assumed conversion of preferred stock (in shares)	27,278,000	27,278,000	27,278,000	27,428,000
Diluted weighted-average common shares outstanding (in shares)	107,449,000	105,509,000	107,329,000	106,452,000
Repurchase of preferred stock (in shares)					(225)
Anti-dilutive securities, options to purchase shares outstanding (in shares)	2,786,303	8,517,332	2,855,652	8,453,582
Calculation of basic EPS attributable to the shareholders of Penn National Gaming, Inc. and subsidiaries:
Net income attributable to the shareholders of Penn National Gaming, Inc. and subsidiaries applicable to common stock	57,370,000	39,093,000	160,701,000	75,812,000
Weighted-average common shares outstanding (in shares)	78,242,000	77,414,000	78,264,000	78,228,000
Basic earnings per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.73	$ 0.51	$ 2.05	$ 0.97
Calculation of diluted EPS attributable to the shareholders of Penn National Gaming, Inc. and subsidiaries:
Net income attributable to the shareholders of Penn National Gaming, Inc. and subsidiaries	70,803,000	48,345,000	198,320,000	93,665,000
Diluted weighted-average common shares outstanding (in shares)	107,449,000	105,509,000	107,329,000	106,452,000
Diluted earnings per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.66	$ 0.46	$ 1.85	$ 0.88
Common stock price less than $45
Determination of shares:
Common stock price (in dollars per share)	$ 45		$ 45
Increase in diluted weighted-average common shares outstanding (in shares)			27,277,778
Common stock price between $45 and $67
Determination of shares:
Common stock price, low end of range (in dollars per share)	$ 45		$ 45
Common stock price, high end of range (in dollars per share)	$ 67		$ 67
Aggregate liquidation preference of preferred stock	$ 1,230,000,000		$ 1,230,000,000
Increase in diluted weighted-average common shares outstanding, low end of range (in shares)			18,320,896
Increase in diluted weighted-average common shares outstanding, high end of range (in shares)			27,277,778
Common stock price more than $67
Determination of shares:
Common stock price (in dollars per share)	$ 67		$ 67
Increase in diluted weighted-average common shares outstanding (in shares)			18,320,896