Mexico Approves 8% Tax on Violent Video Games

Mexico has moved closer to introducing a national tax on violent video games. On October 17, 2025, the country’s Chamber of Deputies voted to approve an 8% levy on video games classified as violent or adult-oriented. The measure was included as part of Mexico’s 2026 Economic Package proposal and now heads to the Senate for discussion. Lawmakers in the upper chamber must make a final decision before the November 15 deadline for approving the national budget.

The approved tax would apply to video games rated “C” and “D” under Mexico’s System of Equivalences of Video Game Content Classification. A “C” rating is intended for players aged 18 and older and allows for extreme violence, blood, and moderate sexual content. The “D” rating is reserved for adults only and permits prolonged scenes containing similar explicit content. These categories are comparable to the “Mature 17+” and “Adults Only” ratings used by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) in the United States.

The proposal was first introduced on September 14, 2025, by Mexico’s Treasury Department as part of a broader group of “health taxes.” The same fiscal package also includes higher taxes on products such as sugary drinks, tobacco, and gambling. In its budget presentation, the Treasury stated that “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 specific studies were identified by name in the presentation.

The Treasury Department’s report included a citation to a 2012 study that observed both negative and positive outcomes from video game use, such as improvements in motor learning and resilience.

The proposed 8% levy would be added on top of Mexico’s existing 16% Value-Added Tax (VAT), which has remained in place since 2010. The text approved by the Chamber of Deputies indicates that the new tax would apply to physical and digital copies of affected video games, as well as in-game purchases and microtransactions. This means that free-to-play titles offering paid content would also be subject to the same rate. However, the current draft does not specify whether the tax would extend to downloadable content (DLC), subscriptions, or other forms of digital distribution.

The measure was presented under the argument that the new tax would raise funds to support programs assisting people affected by the “negative social and psychological effects” attributed to violent or adult-themed video games. The Treasury Department described the initiative as a way to generate additional public resources while addressing concerns about exposure to violent content among adolescents.

According to a 2025 report by Human Rights Watch, the country continues to experience “extremely high rates” of homicide and other violent crimes. In 2022, six cities in Mexico recorded homicide rates exceeding 100 per 100,000 residents. Although the national rate has since declined slightly to approximately 25 per 100,000, Human Rights Watch reported an increase in disappearances during the same period, suggesting that the real number of homicides may not have decreased significantly. Much of the violence in Mexico has been linked to drug cartels, which the government has struggled to control for many years.

If the Senate approves the measure, Mexico would officially implement an 8% tax on violent video games starting in the 2026 fiscal year. The proposal remains under review, and its final scope, such as whether it covers digital subscriptions or streaming-based game access, will be clarified in the Senate’s version of the legislation.Games with mature or adult classifications, including popular franchises such as Grand Theft Auto and Mortal Kombat, would fall under the new tax if it becomes law. For now, the proposal continues to move through Mexico’s legislative process, with the final outcome expected before mid-November 2025.