Guarantor Subsidiaries (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014		Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2014		Sep. 30, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 552,864		$ 586,539		$ 1,702,403		$ 1,712,896
Expenses:
Direct operating	384,111	[1]	405,973	[1]	1,194,815	[1]	1,174,818	[1]
Marketing	9,762		8,395		27,142		22,903
Research and development	2,999		3,510		9,885		8,171
General and administrative	47,864		61,031		149,829		168,786
Depreciation and other	47,896		49,245		146,171		143,156
Amortization of intangible assets	3,671		3,191		11,366		7,085
Total expenses	496,303		531,345		1,539,208		1,524,919
Operating income (loss)	56,561		55,194		163,195		187,977
Other income (expense), net:
Loss from equity method investments, net	(11,352)		57,934		(31,261)		41,280
Interest expense, net	(12,463)		(8,402)		(35,037)		(25,953)
Other, net	(3,015)		(2,402)		(1,857)		(3,323)
Total other income (expense), net	(26,830)		47,130		(68,155)		12,004
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	29,731		102,324		95,040		199,981
Income tax benefit (expense)	(11,841)		(15,529)		(31,454)		(34,766)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	17,890		86,795		63,586		165,215
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0		(4,139)		(768)		(13,098)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0		0		0		0
Net income	17,890		82,656		62,818		152,117
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(695)	[2],[3]	1,852	[2],[4]	(156)	[2],[3]	(304)	[2],[4]
Comprehensive income (loss)	17,195		84,508		62,662		151,813
Reportable Legal Entities | Outerwall Inc.
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue	71,616		67,545		197,878		186,625
Expenses:
Direct operating	36,930		36,325		105,399		104,075
Marketing	1,945		1,380		4,723		3,572
Research and development	861		1,794		2,589		6,452
General and administrative	10,789		11,608		31,429		28,410
Depreciation and other	8,173		7,028		26,744		21,072
Amortization of intangible assets	358		569		1,430		1,708
Total expenses	59,056		58,704		172,314		165,289
Operating income (loss)	12,560		8,841		25,564		21,336
Other income (expense), net:
Loss from equity method investments, net	(224)		67,069		(672)		65,050
Interest expense, net	(12,570)		(8,246)		(35,172)		(26,200)
Other, net	1,941		(2,352)		7,662		(3,442)
Total other income (expense), net	(10,853)		56,471		(28,182)		35,408
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	1,707		65,312		(2,618)		56,744
Income tax benefit (expense)	(1,915)		(1,819)		1,333		19,744
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(208)		63,493		(1,285)		76,488
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0		(3,743)		(803)		(11,994)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	18,098		22,906		64,906		87,623
Net income	17,890		82,656		62,818		152,117
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(680)	[3]	63	[4]	(650)	[3]	84	[4]
Comprehensive income (loss)	17,210		82,719		62,168		152,201
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue	464,814		505,043		1,460,447		1,488,767
Expenses:
Direct operating	335,780		357,800		1,057,882		1,039,516
Marketing	7,059		6,328		20,220		17,491
Research and development	2,138		1,716		7,296		1,719
General and administrative	36,558		45,337		116,974		130,863
Depreciation and other	37,495		40,867		113,407		118,440
Amortization of intangible assets	3,313		2,622		9,936		5,377
Total expenses	422,343		454,670		1,325,715		1,313,406
Operating income (loss)	42,471		50,373		134,732		175,361
Other income (expense), net:
Loss from equity method investments, net	(11,128)		(9,135)		(30,589)		(23,770)
Interest expense, net	163		(115)		286		338
Other, net	573		8		1,409		219
Total other income (expense), net	(10,392)		(9,242)		(28,894)		(23,213)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	32,079		41,131		105,838		152,148
Income tax benefit (expense)	(10,844)		(15,215)		(35,139)		(57,464)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	21,235		25,916		70,699		94,684
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0		(396)		35		(1,104)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(3,137)		(2,614)		(5,828)		(5,957)
Net income	18,098		22,906		64,906		87,623
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	[3]	0	[4]	0	[3]	0	[4]
Comprehensive income (loss)	18,098		22,906		64,906		87,623
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue	16,434		13,951		44,078		37,504
Expenses:
Direct operating	11,401		15,393		31,534		39,483
Marketing	758		687		2,199		1,840
Research and development	0		0		0		0
General and administrative	517		533		1,426		1,249
Depreciation and other	2,228		1,350		6,020		3,644
Amortization of intangible assets	0		0		0		0
Total expenses	14,904		17,963		41,179		46,216
Operating income (loss)	1,530		(4,012)		2,899		(8,712)
Other income (expense), net:
Loss from equity method investments, net	0		0		0		0
Interest expense, net	(56)		(41)		(151)		(91)
Other, net	(5,529)		(66)		(10,928)		(108)
Total other income (expense), net	(5,585)		(107)		(11,079)		(199)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	(4,055)		(4,119)		(8,180)		(8,911)
Income tax benefit (expense)	918		1,505		2,352		2,954
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(3,137)		(2,614)		(5,828)		(5,957)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0		0		0		0
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0		0		0		0
Net income	(3,137)		(2,614)		(5,828)		(5,957)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(15)	[3]	1,789	[4]	494	[3]	(388)	[4]
Comprehensive income (loss)	(3,152)		(825)		(5,334)		(6,345)
Eliminations and Consolidation Reclassifications
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue	0		0		0		0
Expenses:
Direct operating	0		(3,545)		0		(8,256)
Marketing	0		0		0		0
Research and development	0		0		0		0
General and administrative	0		3,553		0		8,264
Depreciation and other	0		0		0		0
Amortization of intangible assets	0		0		0		0
Total expenses	0		8		0		8
Operating income (loss)	0		(8)		0		(8)
Other income (expense), net:
Loss from equity method investments, net	0		0		0		0
Interest expense, net	0		0		0		0
Other, net	0		8		0		8
Total other income (expense), net	0		8		0		8
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	0		0		0		0
Income tax benefit (expense)	0		0		0		0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	0		0		0		0
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0		0		0		0
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(14,961)		(20,292)		(59,078)		(81,666)
Net income	(14,961)		(20,292)		(59,078)		(81,666)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	[3]	0	[4]	0	[3]	0	[4]
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ (14,961)		$ (20,292)		$ (59,078)		$ (81,666)

[1] “Direct operating” excludes depreciation and other of $32.0 million and $96.5 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively, and $33.0 million and $97.3 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, respectively.

[2] Foreign currency translation adjustment had no tax effect for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

[3] Foreign currency translation adjustment had no tax effect in 2014.

[4] Foreign currency translation adjustment had no tax effect in 2013.