Indoor entertainment
Books and taxes for billiards halls.
Hourly table rentals, league nights, a bar that runs the length of the room, and felt and cues that wear out on a schedule. Gus sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.
- From $197 a month
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever
November came in at $11,400. League play picked up as the winter season started, and I kept that steady income apart from hourly table rentals.
- Table time salesTable rental
- League duesLeague fees
- Felt supplier orderTable upkeep
- Beverage distributorBar and drinks
- Table mechanic invoiceTable upkeep
Why your books are different
Billiards hall books go wrong in the same few places.
A generalist sees hourly rentals and a bar tab. Your business runs on tables that need real mechanical upkeep, league dues paid ahead of a season, and a bar that often outsells the tables. When the books do not know that, you cannot tell which side of the room is actually earning.
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1
Table upkeep gets buried in general repairs
Felt replacement, cue tip work, and slate leveling are real, recurring costs on a set schedule, and lumped into general repairs, an owner cannot see whether upkeep costs are climbing on an aging set of tables.
What we doKeeps table upkeep in its own category so a maintenance trend is visible before it becomes a bigger problem. -
2
League dues get counted before the season is played
A league pays its season fee up front for play that runs for months, and counted as income the day it lands, that month looks strong and the following months look thin, when really the season is still being delivered.
What we doSpreads league income across the season it covers, so each month reflects the play that actually happened. -
3
Bar sales and table time run through one number
A hall selling drinks alongside table time often runs both through one register, so nobody can tell whether the bar carries the room or the tables do, which makes it hard to know what to expand.
What we doKeeps bar and drink sales apart from table rental and league fees so each side of the business shows its own number. -
4
A table replacement reads like a supply purchase
A regulation pool table can cost several thousand dollars, and filed as supplies or a repair, it wrecks that month's numbers and hides that it is a long-term asset that should be depreciated.
What we doFlags a table purchase the day it shows up, books it as equipment, and gets the accountant's call on writing it off.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for a billiards hall.
Set up once for how you get paid and what you spend. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.
Money in
- Table rentalHourly and per-game table time sold at the counter.
- League feesSeason dues, recognized across the season they cover.
- Tournament entry feesEntry fees for hosted tournaments.
- Bar and drinksBeer, wine, and liquor sales, kept apart from table time.
- Pro shop salesCues, chalk, and accessories sold to players.
Money out
- Table upkeepFelt, cue tips, and slate leveling on a maintenance schedule.
- Bar and drinksDraft beer, bottled liquor, and mixers ordered through your distributor.
- WagesBartenders, front desk, and table monitors.
- Liquor license and insuranceAlcohol licensing and liability coverage.
- Lighting and fixturesTable lighting and general room fixtures.
- MarketingLeague promotion, tournament ads, and local outreach.
What we watch for you
- Table versus bar mix
How much revenue comes from table time versus the bar, so you know which side is driving a strong month.
- Table upkeep cost
Felt and mechanical maintenance spend over time, so aging tables get budgeted for.
- League growth
League dues against total table revenue, since leagues are your steadiest income.
- The set-aside
What you will owe, tracked every month, so April is a number you already knew.
Ask Gus
Things billiards hall owners ask Gus.
Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.
I kept it in the table upkeep line, so you can see it was a planned maintenance cost, not a slow month. Worth watching if it becomes a pattern on the older tables.
I spread that income across the season instead of counting it all now, so your monthly numbers match the play actually happening.
If you pay him $2,000 or more this year and he is not on payroll, he gets a 1099 by January 31. I keep that list running so it is ready.
The tax side
The tax side of a billiards hall.
Most of what goes wrong here is timing on league dues, and treating tables and bar equipment as one blurry expense line instead of what they really are.
What your return has to get right
Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.
- Tables and bar equipmentPool tables and bar equipment can usually be written off up to $2,560,000 under Section 179 in the year bought, and bonus depreciation is 100 percent for property acquired after January 19, 2025.
- Contractor 1099sA table mechanic, tournament director, or DJ who is not on payroll and is paid $2,000 or more in 2026 gets a 1099-NEC by January 31.
- Employee or contractorBartenders and table monitors who work your posted schedule are usually employees, even if part time.
- The pass-through deductionMost owner-operators can take up to 20 percent of business profit off their taxable income. It comes out right when the books are right all year.
Deductions billiards halls miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- Felt and cloth replacement
- Cue tips and chalk stock
- Slate leveling service
- Liquor liability insurance
- League scoring software
- Bar tools and glassware
- Table lighting fixtures
- Groupon and daily deal fees
- Card processing fees
- Tournament trophies and prizes
General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.
All year, not just April
A billiards hall year, kept every month.
League seasons run fall through spring, and the bar carries more of the summer months. Your team keeps you ahead of both, and of taxes on their own schedule. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.
- January
Plan the year
Last year's return gets started, the 1099 list for mechanics and contract staff is ready, and you get a monthly set-aside so April is already handled.
- April
Filed. Done.
Your return is filed and signed. No surprise bill, because the set-aside has been running since January.
- July
Halfway check
Where you stand, what you will owe, and how summer bar and table sales compared.
- October
Before winter league season
Fall league sign-ups pick up. Gus looks at table upkeep worth doing before the season fills the room.
What you get
What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.
Book a call- Monthly bookkeeping
Every transaction sorted into categories set up for billiards halls. You never categorize a thing.
- An accountant checks every transaction
Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.
- Your business tax return, filed
Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.
- The monthly number
What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.
- Your own bookkeeper
A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.
- On your books all year
Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.
- Cancel any time
No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.
Straight answers
Questions billiards hall owners ask first.
How does Gus handle league dues paid months in advance?
He spreads league income across the season it covers instead of counting it all the day it is paid, so each month reflects the play that actually happened.
Can Gus separate bar sales from table time?
Yes. Drink sales get their own category apart from table rental and league fees, so you can see which side of the room is actually driving a strong month.
Do I write off a new table purchase all at once?
Often you can. Equipment bought for the business can usually be deducted in the year you buy it, and sometimes spreading it out is the better call. Gus flags the purchase and the accountant decides.
Does Gus handle our liquor license or excise tax filing?
No, those filings are yours or your accountant's to handle. Gus keeps the bar side of the books clean so the numbers are ready whenever a filing or renewal comes due, and mentions a renewal date if he happens to notice one.
Our books mix table income, bar sales, and league dues into one number. Can Gus fix that?
Yes. Send the bank statements you have. Gus sorts each revenue stream into its own category, the accountant checks it, and most owners know where they stand inside a week.
Is a real accountant checking my books?
Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.
What does it cost, and can I cancel?
It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.
More in indoor entertainment
We keep books for the business next door too.
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What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for
Book a call
Pick a time. That's the whole signup.
Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.
- $197 a month to start
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever