Guarantor Subsidiaries - Condensed Statements of Comprehensive Income (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 587,353		$ 537,562		$ 1,716,269		$ 1,637,961
Expenses:
Direct operating	408,713	[1]	351,541	[1]	1,183,613	[1]	1,098,750	[1]
Marketing	9,123		7,513		24,619		20,080
Research and development	3,819		3,140		12,105		10,684
General and administrative	61,838		56,010		172,800		156,609
Depreciation and other	52,250		50,470		149,435		133,579
Amortization of intangible assets	3,191		2,019		7,085		3,330
Total expenses	538,934		470,693		1,549,657		1,423,032
Operating income	48,419		66,869		166,612		214,929
Other income (expense), net:
Income (loss) from equity method investments, net	57,934		(6,021)		41,280		4,094
Interest expense, net	(8,402)		(3,892)		(25,953)		(11,033)
Other, net	(2,402)		(21)		(3,323)		(37)
Total other income (expense), net	47,130		(9,934)		12,004		(6,976)
Income before income taxes	95,549		56,935		178,616		207,953
Income tax benefit (expense)	(12,893)		(20,161)		(26,499)		(80,608)
Equity in income (losses) of subsidiaries	0		0		0		0
Net income	82,656		36,774		152,117		127,345
Foreign currency translation adjustment	1,852	[2],[3]	1,477	[2]	(304)	[2],[3]	1,342	[2]
Comprehensive income	84,508		38,251		151,813		128,687
Reportable Legal Entities | Outerwall Inc.
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue	68,301		66,449		189,923		185,701
Expenses:
Direct operating	38,641		36,187		111,805		104,508
Marketing	1,971		1,742		5,002		4,976
Research and development	2,103		2,697		10,386		8,940
General and administrative	12,269		9,625		31,899		28,984
Depreciation and other	10,033		9,628		27,351		23,485
Amortization of intangible assets	569		570		1,708		1,776
Total expenses	65,586		60,449		188,151		172,669
Operating income	2,715		6,000		1,772		13,032
Other income (expense), net:
Income (loss) from equity method investments, net	67,069		(484)		65,050		(1,580)
Interest expense, net	(8,246)		(4,345)		(26,200)		(13,181)
Other, net	(2,352)		41		(3,442)		175
Total other income (expense), net	56,471		(4,788)		35,408		(14,586)
Income before income taxes	59,186		1,212		37,180		(1,554)
Income tax benefit (expense)	564		(287)		27,314		(970)
Equity in income (losses) of subsidiaries	20,214		35,849		90,313		129,869
Net income	79,964		36,774		154,807		127,345
Foreign currency translation adjustment	63		39		84		(184)
Comprehensive income	80,027		36,813		154,891		127,161
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue	505,101		458,834		1,488,842		1,419,678
Expenses:
Direct operating	358,224		308,259		1,040,581		975,729
Marketing	6,465		5,366		17,777		13,794
Research and development	1,716		443		1,719		1,744
General and administrative	45,483		43,338		131,388		121,539
Depreciation and other	40,867		39,956		118,440		107,626
Amortization of intangible assets	2,622		1,449		5,377		1,554
Total expenses	455,377		398,811		1,315,282		1,221,986
Operating income	49,724		60,023		173,560		197,692
Other income (expense), net:
Income (loss) from equity method investments, net	(9,135)		(5,537)		(23,770)		5,674
Interest expense, net	(115)		466		338		2,167
Other, net	8		(66)		219		(199)
Total other income (expense), net	(9,242)		(5,137)		(23,213)		7,642
Income before income taxes	40,482		54,886		150,347		205,334
Income tax benefit (expense)	(14,962)		(20,123)		(56,767)		(80,084)
Equity in income (losses) of subsidiaries	(2,614)		1,086		(3,266)		4,619
Net income	22,906		35,849		90,314		129,869
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0		0		0		0
Comprehensive income	22,906		35,849		90,314		129,869
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue	13,951		12,279		37,504		32,582
Expenses:
Direct operating	15,393		9,830		39,483		23,751
Marketing	687		405		1,840		1,310
Research and development	0		0		0		0
General and administrative	533		320		1,249		856
Depreciation and other	1,350		886		3,644		2,468
Amortization of intangible assets	0		0		0		0
Total expenses	17,963		11,441		46,216		28,385
Operating income	(4,012)		838		(8,712)		4,197
Other income (expense), net:
Income (loss) from equity method investments, net	0		0		0		0
Interest expense, net	(41)		(13)		(91)		(19)
Other, net	(66)		12		(108)		(5)
Total other income (expense), net	(107)		(1)		(199)		(24)
Income before income taxes	(4,119)		837		(8,911)		4,173
Income tax benefit (expense)	1,505		249		2,954		446
Equity in income (losses) of subsidiaries	0		0		0		0
Net income	(2,614)		1,086		(5,957)		4,619
Foreign currency translation adjustment	1,789		1,438		(388)		1,526
Comprehensive income	(825)		2,524		(6,345)		6,145
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue	0		0		0		0
Expenses:
Direct operating	(3,545)		(2,735)		(8,256)		(5,238)
Marketing	0		0		0		0
Research and development	0		0		0		0
General and administrative	3,553		2,727		8,264		5,230
Depreciation and other	0		0		0		0
Amortization of intangible assets	0		0		0		0
Total expenses	8		(8)		8		(8)
Operating income	(8)		8		(8)		8
Other income (expense), net:
Income (loss) from equity method investments, net	0		0		0		0
Interest expense, net	0		0		0
Other, net	8		(8)		8		(8)
Total other income (expense), net	8		(8)		8		(8)
Income before income taxes	0		0		0		0
Income tax benefit (expense)	0		0		0		0
Equity in income (losses) of subsidiaries	(17,600)		(36,935)		(87,047)		(134,488)
Net income	(17,600)		(36,935)		(87,047)		(134,488)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0		0		0		0
Comprehensive income	$ (17,600)		$ (36,935)		$ (87,047)		$ (134,488)

[1] “Direct operating” excludes depreciation and other of $33.4 million and $98.3 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, respectively, and $34.2 million and $94.4 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, respectively.

[2] Foreign currency translation adjustment has no tax effect for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

[3] Foreign currency translation adjustment has no tax effect for the nine months ended September 30, 2013.