Mexico is one step closer to imposing a tax 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 prospect of higher prices and increased regulatory scrutiny in Latin America's largest gaming market.
A 2025 report by Human Rights Watch states that Mexico is experiencing “extremely high rates” of homicides and other violent crimes. This trend peaked in 2022, when six Mexican cities recorded homicide rates of more than 100 per 100,000 residents. Nationally, the homicide rate has declined slightly in recent years and is currently about 25 per 100,000. However, the increase in reported disappearances over the same period suggests that the actual rate of homicide has not changed significantly. Much of the country's violence has been linked to drug cartels, which have been difficult for the government to crack down on for years.
Mexico's Chamber of Deputies approves 8% tax on violent video games
While the video game industry's relationship to real-life violence is highly questionable, it makes for an easy legislative target. It now finds itself in the crosshairs of Mexico's parliament, whose lower house—the Chamber of Deputies—voted on October 17 to approve an 8% levy on violent video games. The measure was bundled into Mexico's 2026 economic package proposal, introduced as part of a “health tax”, which also includes sugar, gas, gasco and drinks.
Mexico's new tax proposal is also targeting other types of video games
This proposal can be described as a mature video game tax, as it targets not only violent titles but also C (18+) and D (adult-only) ratings defined by analogy with the Mexican system of video game content classification. The first draft of the law was originally introduced on September 14, with a budget presentation from the Department of the Treasury claiming that “recent studies have found a link between the use of violent video games and high 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 debated in the coming weeks. The Congress of the Union has a deadline of November 15 to decide whether or not to enact the legislation. It's unclear whether the current draft levy applies to both physical and digital sales, and where it stands on things like subscriptions, DLC, and other types of microtransactions. If the general proposal should be accepted, the Senate version of the legislation is likely to clarify those questions.
The violent video game tax will be stacked on top of Mexico's existing VAT, which has sat at 16% since 2010. The Treasury Department said the reason behind the measure was to free up resources to help people suffering from the negative social and psychological effects it blames on video games.
Sources: Human Rights Watch, Insider Gaming
