McHenry County to charge video gaming terminal fees, require licenses

McHenry County is now requiring a licensing fee for video gaming terminals in the unincorporated parts of the county.

County board members recently passed new regulations in a 16-0 vote.

The county will charge terminal operators $250 per year per machine, an amount set by state law, according to County Administrator Scott Hartman.

Hartman said the new regulations would help with tracking and compliance. He added that officials determined the public interest would be served with the regulations.

According to county records, 190 video gaming terminals are currently operating in unincorporated McHenry County. With that number of terminals and the $250 fee, the county expects $47,500 in additional revenue.

In 2025, video gaming generated just over $629,300 in tax revenues for the county, according to state records.

According to the ordinance the county passed, the license cycle is June 1 to May 31, and the ordinance went into effect after “its passage, approval, publication, and adoption.”

Applicants for video gaming licenses must possess a liquor license, unless they are truck stops, according to the ordinance.

The regulations come as McHenry County faces a difficult budget year. The county is grappling with numerous financial stressors, including the end of federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars at the end of the year.

Video game terminals in municipalities are handled at the municipal level, and many McHenry County municipalities have regulations.