Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	(1) BASIS OF PRESENTATION Description of Business NTN Buzztime, Inc. (the “Company”) was incorporated in Delaware in 1984 as Alroy Industries and changed its corporate name to NTN Communications, Inc. in 1985. The Company changed its name to NTN Buzztime, Inc. in 2005 to better reflect the growing role of the Buzztime consumer brand. The Company delivers interactive entertainment and innovative dining technology to bars and restaurants in North America. Customers subscribe to the Company’s customizable solution to differentiate themselves via competitive fun by offering guests trivia, card, sports and single player games, nationwide competitions, and by offering self-service dining features including dynamic menus, touchscreen ordering and secure payment. The Company’s platform can improve operating efficiencies, create connections among the players and venues and amplify guests’ positive experiences. Built on an extended network platform, the Company’s interactive entertainment system has historically allowed multiple players to interact at the venue and also enables competition between venues, referred to as massively multiplayer gaming. The Company’s current platform, which it refers to as Buzztime Entertainment On Demand, or BEOND, was commercially launched during 2013 and then scaled during 2014. The Company continues to enhance its network architecture and the BEOND tablet platform and player engagement paradigms. The Company also continues to support its legacy network product line, which it refers to as Classic. The Company currently generates revenue by charging subscription fees for its service to network subscribers, by leasing equipment (including tablets used in its BEOND tablet platform and the cases and charging trays for the tablets) to certain network subscribers, by hosting live trivia events, by selling advertising aired on in-venue screens and as part of customized games, from providing professional services (such as developing certain functionality within the Company’s platform for customers), and from pay-to-play single player games. At March 31, 2018, 2,703 venues in the U.S. and Canada subscribed to the Company’s interactive entertainment network, of which approximately 82% were using the BEOND tablet platform. Basis of Accounting Presentation The accompanying unaudited interim condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial statements and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 8 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments that are necessary, which are of a normal and recurring nature, for a fair presentation for the periods presented of the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries: IWN, Inc., IWN, L.P., Buzztime Entertainment, Inc., NTN Wireless Communications, Inc., NTN Software Solutions, Inc., NTN Canada, Inc., and NTN Buzztime, Ltd., all of which, other than NTN Canada, Inc., are dormant subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017. The accompanying condensed balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be anticipated for the entire year ending December 31, 2018, or any other period. In connection with preparing the financial statement as of and for the year ended March 31, 2018, the Company evaluated whether there are conditions and events, considered in the aggregate, that are known and reasonably knowable that would raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that such financial statements are issued. As a result of such evaluation, the Company believes it will have sufficient cash to meet its operating cash requirements and to fulfill its debt obligations for at least the next twelve months from the issuance date of such financial statements. To address the Company’s low stockholders’ equity, to increase the likelihood that it will be able to successfully execute its operating and strategic plan, and to better position the Company to take advantage of market opportunities for growth, the Company is continuing to evaluate additional financing alternatives, including additional equity financings and alternative sources of debt. If the Company’s cash and cash equivalents are not sufficient to meet future cash requirements, the Company may be required to reduce planned capital expenses, reduce operational cash uses or raise capital on terms that are not as favorable to the Company as they otherwise might be. Any actions the Company may undertake to reduce planned capital purchases or reduce expenses may be insufficient to cover shortfalls in available funds. If the Company requires additional capital, it may be unable to secure additional capital on terms that are acceptable to the Company, or at all.

Basis of Presentation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2018

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

(1) BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Description of Business

NTN Buzztime, Inc. (the “Company”) was incorporated in Delaware in 1984 as Alroy Industries and changed its corporate name to NTN Communications, Inc. in 1985. The Company changed its name to NTN Buzztime, Inc. in 2005 to better reflect the growing role of the Buzztime consumer brand.

The Company delivers interactive entertainment and innovative dining technology to bars and restaurants in North America. Customers subscribe to the Company’s customizable solution to differentiate themselves via competitive fun by offering guests trivia, card, sports and single player games, nationwide competitions, and by offering self-service dining features including dynamic menus, touchscreen ordering and secure payment. The Company’s platform can improve operating efficiencies, create connections among the players and venues and amplify guests’ positive experiences. Built on an extended network platform, the Company’s interactive entertainment system has historically allowed multiple players to interact at the venue and also enables competition between venues, referred to as massively multiplayer gaming. The Company’s current platform, which it refers to as Buzztime Entertainment On Demand, or BEOND, was commercially launched during 2013 and then scaled during 2014. The Company continues to enhance its network architecture and the BEOND tablet platform and player engagement paradigms. The Company also continues to support its legacy network product line, which it refers to as Classic.

The Company currently generates revenue by charging subscription fees for its service to network subscribers, by leasing equipment (including tablets used in its BEOND tablet platform and the cases and charging trays for the tablets) to certain network subscribers, by hosting live trivia events, by selling advertising aired on in-venue screens and as part of customized games, from providing professional services (such as developing certain functionality within the Company’s platform for customers), and from pay-to-play single player games.

At March 31, 2018, 2,703 venues in the U.S. and Canada subscribed to the Company’s interactive entertainment network, of which approximately 82% were using the BEOND tablet platform.

Basis of Accounting Presentation

The accompanying unaudited interim condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial statements and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 8 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments that are necessary, which are of a normal and recurring nature, for a fair presentation for the periods presented of the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries: IWN, Inc., IWN, L.P., Buzztime Entertainment, Inc., NTN Wireless Communications, Inc., NTN Software Solutions, Inc., NTN Canada, Inc., and NTN Buzztime, Ltd., all of which, other than NTN Canada, Inc., are dormant subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017. The accompanying condensed balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be anticipated for the entire year ending December 31, 2018, or any other period.

In connection with preparing the financial statement as of and for the year ended March 31, 2018, the Company evaluated whether there are conditions and events, considered in the aggregate, that are known and reasonably knowable that would raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that such financial statements are issued. As a result of such evaluation, the Company believes it will have sufficient cash to meet its operating cash requirements and to fulfill its debt obligations for at least the next twelve months from the issuance date of such financial statements. To address the Company’s low stockholders’ equity, to increase the likelihood that it will be able to successfully execute its operating and strategic plan, and to better position the Company to take advantage of market opportunities for growth, the Company is continuing to evaluate additional financing alternatives, including additional equity financings and alternative sources of debt. If the Company’s cash and cash equivalents are not sufficient to meet future cash requirements, the Company may be required to reduce planned capital expenses, reduce operational cash uses or raise capital on terms that are not as favorable to the Company as they otherwise might be. Any actions the Company may undertake to reduce planned capital purchases or reduce expenses may be insufficient to cover shortfalls in available funds. If the Company requires additional capital, it may be unable to secure additional capital on terms that are acceptable to the Company, or at all.