Represents the incremental tax gaming expense.

Name:	penn_LossContingenciesIncrementalGamingTaxExpense
Namespace Prefix:	penn
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of racetracks which are affected by lawsuit.

+ Details

Name:	penn_LossContingenciesLawsuitFiledByNumberOfRacetracksAffectedByLawsuit
Namespace Prefix:	penn
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of other riverboats which are affected by Illinois House Bill 1918 law.

+ Details

Name:	penn_LossContingenciesLawsuitFiledByNumberOfRiverboatsAffectedByLaw
Namespace Prefix:	penn
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of amicus curiae briefs filed with the court in support of the plaintiffs' request.

+ Details

Name:	penn_LossContingenciesNumberOfAmicusCuriaeBriefsFiled
Namespace Prefix:	penn
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of casinos of the entity in a specific state.

+ Details

Name:	penn_LossContingenciesNumberOfCasinos
Namespace Prefix:	penn
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of casinos against which the lawsuit has been filed.

+ Details

Name:	penn_LossContingenciesNumberOfCasinosInvolvedInLawsuit
Namespace Prefix:	penn
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of orders issued by the court by which the law was declared unconstitutional.

+ Details

Name:	penn_LossContingenciesOrdersByCourtNumberByWhichCourtDeclaredLawUnconstitutional
Namespace Prefix:	penn
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Identifies the number of plaintiffs in the lawsuit

+ Details

Name:	penn_LossContingencyNumberOfPlaintiffs
Namespace Prefix:	penn
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the percentage of tax surcharge to subsidize local horse racing interests.

+ Details

Name:	penn_LossContingencyPercentageOfTaxSurcharge
Namespace Prefix:	penn
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the percentage of tax surcharge being paid.

+ Details

Name:	penn_LossContingencyPercentageOfTaxSurchargeBeingPaid
Namespace Prefix:	penn
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Privilege fee paid in conjunction with the gaming application for the Cherokee County zone.

+ Details

Name:	penn_LossContingencyPrivilegeFeePaid
Namespace Prefix:	penn
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the amount awarded to the plaintiff towards the reimbursement of the attorney's fees and costs incurred in litigation.

+ Details

Name:	penn_LossContingencyReimbursementOfExpensesAwardedAmount
Namespace Prefix:	penn
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The value (monetary amount) of the award the plaintiff seeks in the legal matter.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 450

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14326-108349

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 450

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14435-108349

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 5

-Paragraph 9

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 450

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 9

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14557-108349

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 5

-Paragraph 11

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 5

-Paragraph 10

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 5

-Paragraph 12

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Cash received for the sale of real estate that is not part of an investing activity during the current period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

-Paragraph 24

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 12

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6943989&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfRealEstate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	65 Months Ended									1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011 Subsidy on local horse racing interests	Sep. 30, 2011 Subsidy on local horse racing interests	Sep. 30, 2011 Subsidy on local horse racing interests	Jun. 12, 2009 Subsidy on local horse racing interests count	Jan. 21, 2009 Subsidy on local horse racing interests count	Apr. 20, 2007 Subsidy on local horse racing interests count	May 30, 2006 Subsidy on local horse racing interests count	May 26, 2006 Subsidy on local horse racing interests count	Sep. 30, 2011 Subsidy on local horse racing interests Hollywood Casino Joliet	Sep. 30, 2011 Subsidy on local horse racing interests Hollywood Casino Aurora	Jul. 16, 2008 Purported class action lawsuit for violation of Securities Exchange Act of 1934 plantiff	Sep. 30, 2008 Breach in pre-development agreement Kansas Penn Gaming, LLC	Sep. 11, 2008 Breach in pre-development agreement Kansas Penn Gaming, LLC	Sep. 30, 2008 Litigation against HV Properties of Kansas, LLC ("HV") Kansas Penn Gaming, LLC	Aug. 31, 2011 CD Gaming Ventures, LLC
Litigation
Number of casinos affected by the law (in counts)								4
Number of casinos in Illinois (in counts)								9
Percentage of tax surcharge (as a percent)								3.00%
Number of other riverboats affected by the law (in counts)							2
Percentage of tax surcharge being paid (as a percent)									3.00%	3.00%
Number of orders by which court ordered law unconditional (in counts)						2
Number of amicus curiae briefs filed (in counts)					7
Number of racetracks included in lawsuit (in counts)				2
Incremental gaming tax expense	$ 0.4	$ 5.5	$ 55.2
Number of plaintiffs added (in plantiffs)											3
Damages sought value												50.0		37.5
Privilege fee paid in conjunction with the gaming application for the Cherokee County zone													25
Amount awarded towards the reimbursement of the attorney's fees and costs incurred														0.9
Proceeds from sale of real estate															$ 11