Violent Video Game Tax Is Getting Closer to Reality

A 2025 report by Human Rights Watch states that Mexico continues to experience “extremely high rates” of homicide and other violent crimes. The trend peaked in 2022, when six Mexican cities recorded homicide rates exceeding 100 per 100,000 residents. Nationally, the homicide rate has declined slightly in recent years and currently stands at around 25 per 100,000. However, an increase in reported disappearances during the same period suggests that the true rate of homicides may not have changed significantly, if at all. Much of the country’s violence has been linked to drug cartels, which have proven difficult for the government to crack down on over the years.

Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies Approves 8% Tax on Violent Video Games

While the video game industry’s connection to real-life violence is much more dubious, it makes for an easier legislative target. It has now found itself in the crosshairs of the Mexican parliament, whose lower house—the Chamber of Deputies—voted to approve an 8% levy on violent video games on October 17. The measure was bundled into Mexico’s 2026 Economic Package proposal, presented as part of “health taxes,” which also include higher levies on sugary drinks, tobacco, and gambling.

Mexico’s New Tax Proposal Also Targeting Other Types of Video Games

The proposal can more accurately be described as a mature video game tax, as it doesn’t just target violent titles but any with the C (18+) and D (adult-only) ratings defined by the Mexican System of Equivalences of Video Game Content Classification. The first draft of the law was originally introduced on September 14, with a budget presentation from the Treasury Department claiming “recent studies have found a relationship between the use of violent video games and higher levels of aggression among adolescents, as well as negative social and psychological effects such as isolation and anxiety.” No concrete studies were cited in the presentation.

What’s Next for Mexico’s 2026 Economic Package Proposal

The proposal now heads to the Senate, where it is expected to be discussed in the coming weeks. The Congress of the Union has a November 15 deadline for deciding whether to enact the legislation. The current draft isn’t clear on whether the levy would apply to both physical and digital sales, and where it stands on things like subscriptions, DLC, and other types of microtransactions. Should the general proposal be accepted, the Senate’s version of the law is likely to clarify those questions.

The violent video game tax would be stacked on top of Mexico’s existing VAT, which has been sitting at 16% since 2010. The Treasury Department said the reasoning behind the measure was to raise resources for helping people suffering from negative social and psychological effects that it blames on video games.

Sources: Human Rights Watch, Insider Gaming