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SEGMENT INFORMATION - Schedule of Segments by Segment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended							7 Months Ended		10 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	May 31, 2016	May 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 1,054,253	$ 1,038,907	$ 962,240	$ 919,762	$ 950,187	$ 951,885	$ 626,259	$ 2,202,896	$ 1,730,070	$ 842,644	$ 3,975,163	$ 3,370,976	$ 2,898,150	$ 2,773,718
Operating income (loss) for segments	$ 149,575	$ 172,471	$ 131,852	$ 104,970	$ 80,226	$ 120,389	$ 94,573	237,951	$ 306,547	$ 61,161	558,868	$ 356,348	424,944	456,597
Depreciation and amortization								247,571			451,151		187,881	137,505
Heartland Payment Systems, Inc
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquisition and integration expenses								91,600			94,600		51,300
Operating Segments \| North America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues								1,650,616			2,929,522		2,052,623	1,968,890
Operating income (loss) for segments								233,850			457,009		307,626	293,139
Depreciation and amortization								208,198			379,953		128,618	81,051
Operating Segments \| Europe
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues								403,823			767,524		631,900	615,966
Operating income (loss) for segments								145,767			272,769		244,837	240,014
Depreciation and amortization								26,178			46,928		40,194	39,910
Operating Segments \| Asia-Pacific
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues								148,457			278,117		213,627	188,862
Operating income (loss) for segments								37,530			81,273		50,743	39,697
Depreciation and amortization								10,385			16,466		13,935	9,973
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss) for segments								(179,196)			(252,183)		(178,262)	(116,253)
Depreciation and amortization								$ 2,810			$ 7,804		$ 5,134	$ 6,571