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SEGMENT INFORMATION - Schedule of Segments by Segment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended										7 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2016	Aug. 31, 2016	May 31, 2016	Feb. 29, 2016	Nov. 30, 2015	Aug. 31, 2015	May 31, 2015	Feb. 28, 2015	Nov. 30, 2014	Aug. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	May 31, 2016	May 31, 2015	May 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 941,821	$ 939,492	$ 747,064	$ 679,940	$ 722,350	$ 748,796	$ 706,549	$ 664,983	$ 697,291	$ 704,895	$ 2,202,896	$ 1,730,070	$ 2,898,150	$ 2,773,718	$ 2,554,236
Operating income (loss) for segments	$ 105,267	$ 121,106	$ 56,202	107,805	$ 123,165	$ 137,772	$ 103,600	$ 104,615	$ 123,984	$ 124,398	237,951	$ 306,547	424,944	456,597	405,499
Depreciation and amortization											247,571		187,881	137,505	122,069
Operating Segments \| North America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues											1,650,616		2,052,623	1,968,890	1,808,992
Operating income (loss) for segments											233,850		307,626	293,139	272,251
Depreciation and amortization											208,198		128,618	81,051	60,970
Operating Segments \| Europe
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues											403,823		631,900	615,966	587,463
Operating income (loss) for segments											145,767		244,837	240,014	209,334
Depreciation and amortization											26,178		40,194	39,910	48,589
Operating Segments \| Asia-Pacific
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues											148,457		213,627	188,862	157,781
Operating income (loss) for segments											37,530		50,743	39,697	30,845
Depreciation and amortization											10,385		13,935	9,973	6,139
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss) for segments											(179,196)		(178,262)	(116,253)	(106,931)
Depreciation and amortization											2,810		5,134	$ 6,571	$ 6,371
Heartland Payment Systems, Inc
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss) for segments				$ 6,100
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs											$ 91,600		$ 51,300