Indoor entertainment

Books and taxes for VR arcades.

Timed headset sessions, software licenses paid per title, sanitizing between every guest, and a headset fleet that goes out of date fast. Gus sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.

Book a call What we handle
  • From $197 a month
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever
SeptemberExample month
$5,500
what you made

September came in at $5,500. The new headset batch got logged as equipment, not supplies, since your fleet turns over faster than most gear.

  • Xola payoutSession bookings
  • Group event depositPrivate events
  • Headset supplier orderHeadset fleet
  • Software license renewalExperience licenses
  • Sanitizing supply orderSanitizing supplies
Money in$19,600
Money out$14,100
Set aside for taxes$1,150
An example month. Yours will have your numbers.

Why your books are different

VR arcade books go wrong in the same few places.

A generalist sees a room of headsets and short sessions. Your business runs on gear that goes out of date fast, software licensed per experience, and sanitizing between every single guest. When the books do not know that, you cannot tell if your fleet is actually paying for itself.

  1. 1

    Headset purchases read like a supply run

    A batch of new headsets can cost as much as a used car, and filed as supplies, it wrecks that month's numbers and hides that it is a fast-depreciating asset that needs planned replacement, not a one-time buy.

    What we doBooks headset purchases as equipment the month they arrive and flags the fleet's age so replacement timing is planned, not reactive.
  2. 2

    Software licenses get treated as a flat monthly bill

    Experience licenses often scale with how many stations run a title or how many plays happen, and if that cost is not tracked against session revenue, an owner cannot tell whether a popular title is actually worth its license fee.

    What we doKeeps software license cost in its own category so it can be checked against what each experience actually brings in.
  3. 3

    Sanitizing costs get folded into general supplies

    Every headset needs cleaning between guests, and that is a real, constant cost tied directly to how many sessions run, not an occasional expense.

    What we doKeeps sanitizing supplies in their own line so the real cost per session is visible.
  4. 4

    Private events and walk-in sessions blur together

    A corporate team-building booking that reserves every station pays differently than walk-in single-player sessions, and lumped together neither number shows which one to chase.

    What we doKeeps private events apart from walk-in session sales so you can see what actually fills the calendar.

Your categories

The categories Gus keeps for a VR arcade.

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

  • Session bookingsWalk-in and reserved headset time sold through Xola or a similar app.
  • Private eventsCorporate team-building and full-station buyouts.
  • Party packagesBirthday party bundles with multiple stations booked.
  • Membership passesFrequent-player passes or punch cards.

Money out

  • Headset fleetHeadset, controller, and station hardware purchases and repair.
  • Experience licensesPer-title or per-station software licensing fees.
  • Sanitizing suppliesWipes, sprays, and disposable covers used between every guest.
  • WagesFloor attendants who fit gear and run sessions.
  • Liability insuranceCoverage for a physical activity space with tech-heavy equipment.
  • MarketingGroupon fees, local ads, and social media promotion.

What we watch for you

  • Fleet age

    How old your headsets are against replacement cost, since VR gear goes out of date fast.

  • License cost per session

    What each experience's license costs against what it earns in bookings.

  • Private event share

    Corporate and group bookings against walk-in sessions, since buyouts usually pay more per hour.

  • The set-aside

    What you will owe, tracked every month, so April is a number you already knew.

Ask Gus

Things VR arcade 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.

We just replaced half our headsets, that was a big hit this month.

I booked it as equipment, not supplies, so it shows as the planned fleet refresh it is. Bonus depreciation is 100 percent right now, and the accountant makes the final call.

Is the new zombie shooter title actually worth what we pay for the license?

It's been booked heavily this month, so right now the license is earning its keep. I keep an eye on that ratio so you'll know if it changes.

Do I owe anything on the tech who helps us set up new titles?

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 VR arcade.

Most of what goes wrong here is treating fast-depreciating tech like ordinary supplies, and not separating software licensing from hardware.

What your return has to get right

Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.

  • Headset and station equipmentHeadsets, controllers, and station hardware 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 freelance technician or installer who is not on payroll and is paid $2,000 or more in 2026 gets a 1099-NEC by January 31.
  • Employee or contractorFloor attendants who work your posted schedule and fit gear for guests 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 VR arcades miss

Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.

  • Headset and controller repair
  • Sanitizing wipes and sprays
  • Disposable face covers
  • Experience license fees
  • Liability insurance
  • Booking software fees
  • Groupon and daily deal fees
  • Card processing fees
  • Station cables and mounts
  • Signage and lighting
  • First aid supplies

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 VR arcade year, kept every month.

School breaks and rainy weekends bring the walk-in crowd, and corporate team-building bookings pick up when budgets reset. 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.

  1. January

    Plan the year

    Last year's return gets started, the 1099 list for technicians is ready, and you get a monthly set-aside so April is already handled.

  2. April

    Filed. Done.

    Your return is filed and signed. No surprise bill, because the set-aside has been running since January.

  3. July

    Halfway check

    Where you stand, what you will owe, and whether summer walk-in traffic changed the number.

  4. October

    Before the holiday push

    Corporate team-building season ramps up before year end. Gus looks at fleet age and titles worth adding before December.

What you get

Starts at$197a month

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 VR arcades. 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 VR arcade owners ask first.

Can Gus track headset fleet age so we know when to replace gear?

He keeps headset purchases logged as equipment with the date bought, so the fleet's age is visible and replacement can be planned instead of reactive.

How does Gus handle experience licensing fees?

He keeps license costs in their own category so they can be checked against what each title actually earns in bookings, rather than blending into one software bill.

Do I write off a headset upgrade 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.

Can Gus separate corporate bookings from walk-in sessions?

Yes. Private events and buyouts get their own category apart from walk-in session sales, so you can see which one is actually driving a strong month.

Our books have never tracked sanitizing supplies separately. Is that a problem?

Not a problem, just an easy fix. Send the bank statements you have. Gus sorts sanitizing costs into their own line, 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.

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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