Guarantor Subsidiaries (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 608,636		$ 597,762
Expenses:
Direct operating	405,184		419,642
Marketing	8,420		6,993
Research and development	2,084		3,474
General and administrative	48,556		52,608
Restructuring and lease termination costs (Note 11)	15,851		557
Depreciation and other(2)	42,686		47,942
Amortization of intangible assets	3,309		3,842
Total expenses	526,090		535,058
Operating income (loss)	82,546		62,704
Other expense, net:
Loss from equity method investments, net	(132)		(9,368)
Interest expense, net	(12,071)		(9,648)
Other, net	(2,346)		(648)
Total other expense, net	(14,549)		(19,664)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	67,997		43,040
Income tax benefit (expense)	(25,842)		(15,434)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	42,155		27,606
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax (Note 12)	(6,556)		(4,431)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0		0
Net income	35,599		23,175
Foreign currency translation adjustment	2,854	[1],[2]	875	[1],[3]
Comprehensive income (loss)	38,453		24,050
Reportable Legal Entities | Outerwall Inc.
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue	58,810		58,177
Expenses:
Direct operating	33,726		33,068
Marketing	1,514		1,127
Research and development	(84)		896
General and administrative	12,056		10,252
Restructuring and lease termination costs (Note 11)	550		23
Depreciation and other(2)	4,649		9,102
Amortization of intangible assets	3		536
Total expenses	52,414		55,004
Operating income (loss)	6,396		3,173
Other expense, net:
Loss from equity method investments, net	(132)		(224)
Interest expense, net	(12,396)		(9,631)
Other, net	2,436		1,607
Total other expense, net	(10,092)		(8,248)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	(3,696)		(5,075)
Income tax benefit (expense)	(548)		2,328
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(4,244)		(2,747)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax (Note 12)	1,524		(709)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	38,319		26,631
Net income	35,599		23,175
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(64)	[2]	(267)	[3]
Comprehensive income (loss)	35,535		22,908
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue	539,281		528,994
Expenses:
Direct operating	366,411		381,101
Marketing	6,906		5,810
Research and development	2,168		2,578
General and administrative	36,295		42,152
Restructuring and lease termination costs (Note 11)	15,301		534
Depreciation and other(2)	36,983		37,740
Amortization of intangible assets	3,306		3,306
Total expenses	467,370		473,221
Operating income (loss)	71,911		55,773
Other expense, net:
Loss from equity method investments, net	0		(9,144)
Interest expense, net	375		32
Other, net	(16)		64
Total other expense, net	359		(9,048)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	72,270		46,725
Income tax benefit (expense)	(25,310)		(17,515)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	46,960		29,210
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax (Note 12)	(29,054)		(147)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	20,413		(2,432)
Net income	38,319		26,631
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	[2]	0	[3]
Comprehensive income (loss)	38,319		26,631
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue	10,545		10,591
Expenses:
Direct operating	5,047		5,473
Marketing	0		56
Research and development	0		0
General and administrative	205		204
Restructuring and lease termination costs (Note 11)	0		0
Depreciation and other(2)	1,054		1,100
Amortization of intangible assets	0		0
Total expenses	6,306		6,833
Operating income (loss)	4,239		3,758
Other expense, net:
Loss from equity method investments, net	0		0
Interest expense, net	(50)		(49)
Other, net	(4,766)		(2,319)
Total other expense, net	(4,816)		(2,368)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	(577)		1,390
Income tax benefit (expense)	16		(247)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(561)		1,143
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax (Note 12)	20,974		(3,575)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0		0
Net income	20,413		(2,432)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	2,918	[2]	1,142	[3]
Comprehensive income (loss)	23,331		(1,290)
Eliminations and Consolidation Reclassifications
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue	0		0
Expenses:
Direct operating	0		0
Marketing	0		0
Research and development	0		0
General and administrative	0		0
Restructuring and lease termination costs (Note 11)	0		0
Depreciation and other(2)	0		0
Amortization of intangible assets	0		0
Total expenses	0		0
Operating income (loss)	0		0
Other expense, net:
Loss from equity method investments, net	0		0
Interest expense, net	0		0
Other, net	0		0
Total other expense, net	0		0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	0		0
Income tax benefit (expense)	0		0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	0		0
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax (Note 12)	0		0
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(58,732)		(24,199)
Net income	(58,732)		(24,199)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	[2]	0	[3]
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ (58,732)		$ (24,199)

[1] Foreign currency translation adjustment had no tax effect for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

[2] Foreign currency translation adjustment had no tax effect in 2015.

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