Mexico has moved one step closer to taxation violent video games after the Chamber of Deputies approved one such levy as part of a wider fiscal package. The legislative proposal now heads to the Senate, raising the possibility of higher prices and increased regulatory scrutiny in one of Latin America's largest gaming markets.
A 2025 Human Rights Watch report states that Mexico continues to experience “extremely high rates” of homicides 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 decreased slightly in recent years, currently hovering around 25 per 100,000. However, the increase in reported disappearances over the same period suggests that the actual homicide rate may not have changed much, 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 far more dubious, it represents a simpler legislative goal. She has now found herself in the crosshairs of the Mexican parliament, whose lower house – the Chamber of Deputies – voted on October 17 to approve an 8% tax on violent video games. The measure was included in Mexico's draft 2026 economic package, which was presented as part of “health taxes” that also include higher levies on sugary drinks, tobacco and gambling.
Mexico's new tax proposal also targets other types of video games
The proposal can more accurately be described as a mature tax on video games, as it does not only target violent titles, but all those rated C (18+) and D (adults only) as defined by Mexico's video game content classification equivalent system. The first bill was originally introduced on September 14 with a Treasury budget presentation that claimed “recent studies have found a relationship between the use of violent video games and higher rates of aggression among adolescents, as well as negative social and psychological effects such as isolation and anxiety.” No specific 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 debated in the coming weeks. The Union Congress has a deadline of November 15 to decide whether to enact the legislation. The current proposal is unclear on whether the fee would apply to both physical and digital sales, and where it stands on things like subscriptions, DLC, and other types of microtransactions. If the general proposal passes, the Senate version of the bill will likely clarify these issues.
The violent tax on video games would be added to Mexico's existing VAT, which has been at 16% since 2010. The Ministry of Finance said the reason for the measure was to raise resources to help people suffering from the negative social and psychological effects it attributed to video games.
Sources: Human Rights Watch, Insider Gaming
