They say that violent games cause more aggression. That's why the Mexican government wants extra fees from players for GTA and Call of Duty

Update (October 20)

The Mexican Chamber of Deputies has approved an 8% tax on games intended for adults (categories C and D according to the Mexican Video Game Content Classification System). The bill will now go to the Senate, and if it is approved there, it will come into effect, applying to both digital and physical paid productions, as well as microtransactions in free-to-play titles.

Original news (September 10)

It might seem that the hysteria over "video games causing aggression" is long behind us. However, the Mexican government has decided to revisit this issue while also increasing its budget.

1. Mexico's Finance Ministry announced a set of legal measures aimed at discouraging people from consuming products that are considered harmful to their physical and mental health.
2. These measures will take the form of new taxes on video games containing violent content. They will also cover websites offering gambling games, as well as increase taxes on flavored drinks and tobacco products.
3. For video games containing violent content, this tax will be 8%.

It is doubtful that the new tax will discourage players from violent games.

Arguing for the need to introduce these taxes, the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, explains that recent studies have shown a link between playing violent video games and higher levels of aggression among teenagers, as well as negative social and psychological effects such as isolation and anxiety.

However, it wasn't specified which studies are being referred to. A few years ago, the University of Oxford conducted thorough research, which found no evidence that violent video games lead to increased aggression in underage players. Professor Andrew Przybylski, who led the research team, commented on the findings at the time:

Therefore, we should consider whether the decision of the Mexican authorities is more about boosting the budget than about addressing concerns regarding aggression and teenagers.

• policies
• gaming industry
• violence
• law