US lawmaker proposes 1% tax on violent video games

By Fred Dutton Published 3 February, 2012

Proceeds would go to fighting childhood obesity, bullying.

A lawmaker in the US state of Oklahoma has proposed a bill that would impose a one per cent tax on all video games deemed violent.

According to the bill, introduced by State Representative William Fourkiller, any title rated either Teen, Mature or Adult Only fall under that umbrella. As noted by Time, that means the likes of Dance Central 2 and Final Fantasy 13-2 would be included.

50 per cent of all revenues collected off that levy would be donated to the Childhood Outdoor Education Revolving Fund, set up to promote "outdoor education initiatives and nature-orientated physical programs for school-age children in accordance with childhood obesity efforts."

The other 50 per cent would go to the Bullying Prevention Revolving Fund.

If passed, it'll become law in the US state as of 1st July this year.

A similar bill was proposed in New Mexico back in 2008, but failed to make it through legislature.

Mass Effect 3 senior designer Manveer Heir is among industry figures to pour scorn on the idea, via Twitter.

"Oklahoma proposes a 1% tax on violent games. Can I propose 1% tax on stupid f****** ideas that are also unconstitutional?" he wrote.

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (81) Latest comment 4 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Hieronymus #1 4 months ago

    "That's the dumbest thing I've come across in quite some time. America is a strange place."

    This

  • GoDo69 #2 4 months ago

    and
    a 1% tax on space games to go to Nasa to explore space
    a 1% tax on driving games to go to make eco cars
    a 1% tax on sims games to feed the needy
    a 10% tax on sex games to keep politicians happy ......

  • grimshawish #3 4 months ago

    If it were aimed at all violent medias it might be a valid arguement (although I'd the proceeds would be better for charities that seek to help after/during wars) - but seeing as its basically just more ignorant, unfair and prejudice against the games industry I think it should just be ignored.

    In the end the price of games is 'fixed' and hardly moves except for certain releases (COD) and usually initial new-gen games. So this wouldn't be taken on by gamers as a small VAT tax, but by producers and retailers - across ALL their sales of these games - which will have a very very real affect on investment AND more importantly - employees.

    Which means in the end its not a good tax AT ALL. Taxes on goods shouldn't be used for political means, but weighed up against the costs and benefits of the tax; so yes it might hit X BUT we'll boost Y which is more essential. This bill is ignorant of that and seems to be a random shot fired into dark woods filled with kids in the hope of not hitting the kids.

    Its like theres an election coming up or something...

  • SavageEvil #4 4 months ago

    What in the world is this nonsense? It's like the U.S. breeds these special kind of yokels that come up with dumb ideas to make money. 1% tax on violent video games? Really, how about one of violent movies or perhaps one on fast food restaurants. To fight childhood obesity how nice, what a load of mess. Now video games make kids fat and turns the others into bullies. Yes incredible, when we all know the reason for both of these problems lies with lazy ass parents who don't instill good values in that child's life and is there for them when they need someone to be a role model. Yes blame the video games for making my kids fat and violent, Mc Donalds made you eat all those sandwiches and the electric company is responsible for power that allows the kids to play games non stop. America land of the free and home of the blameless.

  • 00.00.01 #5 4 months ago

    But who will be addressed directly for these taxes then? Developers? Publishers? Or the good ol' end consumer? Similar taxes will be applied to movies? Books? What a useless law to propose for.
    "Your tax money at work..."

  • Timotei #6 4 months ago

    Massive fucking idiots. I don't need to spell out that film & song have negatively contributed far more vastly to the public ideal than video games ever have, and yet certain politicians want to lump it all on to video games?

    Go fuck yourself America.
    Edited by Timotei at 03/02/12 @ 18:05

  • TheGuvernor #7 4 months ago

    1% tax on firearms u fuckwit!
    That would generate millions.
    I consider guns more dangerous than games.

  • Letsalljusthavefun #8 4 months ago

    Funny that the age of children this tax would help is most likely under the age ratings that this bill chooses to target.

  • chaywa #9 4 months ago

    Set up to promote "outdoor education initiative and nature-orientated physical programs for school-age children in accordance with childhood obesity efforts."

    And thus a new mod for Duck Hunter is born, Fat Kid Hunter. starring a large proportion of American Teenagers.

  • Mike1980 #10 4 months ago

    Love the guys name.

  • RGeefe #11 4 months ago

    to quote Silent Bob from Clerks II (under-rated is not the word)

    "nope, I got nothing"

  • RGeefe #12 4 months ago

    @Mike1980 there is a surreal irony right there

  • alcides #13 4 months ago

    From the retard land of gun-wielding rednecks, trigger-happy gangstas.

    In France we have a saying "du plomb dans la cervelle" which means you get to be less dumb. America takes it literally.

  • SEVQA #14 4 months ago

    It is a completely unconstitutional proposition and the lawmaker is an idiot. I propose a 1% tax from every lawmaker and politician to go to the Games Industry Bullying Fund!

  • -cerberus- #15 4 months ago

    Americans :rolleyes:

  • evild_edd #16 4 months ago

    I still struggle with America's view on ratings. It's a country where they practically condone violence, yet blanch at the sight of a nipple. Even if we assume that they haven't got over the mindset that "games are for kids", it's a little worrying that whilst they're happy for their kids to shoot, stab, and run over each other, they threaten lawsuits against something like the hot coffee mod - a side section of a game you needed to hack the game to access FFS.

    Anyway, sure, why not? Tax away. That's definitely the answer. :p
    Edited by evild_edd at 03/02/12 @ 18:30

  • evild_edd #17 4 months ago

    On the flip side (from my previous comment)..... it would be HUGELY amusing if them imposed this on Facebook and iOS/android games - the 'free-to-play' model would be royally fucked, then! ;0)

  • Marsun #18 4 months ago

    In the words of Marko from the 'Taken' movie "good luck" to the US lawmakers getting this pos to pass as a bill.

  • Feanor #19 4 months ago

    @SEVQA How is it unconstitutional?

  • ThaneKrios #20 4 months ago

    Dear USA,

    What the fuck?

    Sincerely.
    The rest of the world.

  • shadow651 #21 4 months ago

    @Feanor depends if the tax is considered and attempt to suppress free speech but who knows since the Supreme Court has decided to make up its own constitution.

  • Architect_z #22 4 months ago

    Post deleted at 18:45:38 03-02-2012

  • persus-9 #23 4 months ago

    Well the best that can be said is that added taxation to luxury products over and above normal VAT (which I'm not sure if Oklahoma has...) is a pretty good idea. Why on earth you'd want to only tax some games but not all games is beyond me. Why on earth that tax revenue should go to charities rather than being used directly by the state to the greatest benefit of its population is also completely beyond me.
    Edited by persus-9 at 03/02/12 @ 19:40

  • Architect_z #24 4 months ago

    AMERICA! F**K YEAH!

  • Markusdragon #25 4 months ago

    Post deleted at 18:59:51 03-02-2012

  • Donaldthescotishtwin #26 4 months ago

    I personally have had enough of yanky's and their damn bills.

  • Lunatic4ever #27 4 months ago

    That's what happens when the motto of a country is "laissez faire"

    By that I mean: In Europe no person would ever come up with such a stupid idea because our public would pick him apart.
    Edited by Lunatic4ever at 03/02/12 @ 18:59

  • shadow651 #28 4 months ago

    @Donaldthescotishtwin
    you've had enough of Americans legislating for their own country of which doesn't concern you?

    -Edit
    haven't a clue why the whole post has been linked
    Edited by shadow651 at 03/02/12 @ 19:01

  • anomagnus #29 4 months ago

    So, can we try and reign in the rage here guys, and put this in perspective. Firstly, a member of the government, in ONE state, has PROPOSED a plan to put in place something entirely stupid, that MAY or MAY NOT pass. If SOPA got shelved, i can't see that getting through

    This does not equal the entire country.

    In fact, the UK has its breed of stupid politicians, need i point out keith vaz? Or should the whole UK go fuck itself over him? Man its funny how quickly people bash the US, while ignoring their own foibles.

    And its funny too, that with all the rage of SOPA, no one noticed ACTA getting accepted by virtually every EU country, bar poland....

    Disclaimer, i'm from ireland, technically the least shite member of the PIGS group! Go debt!

    Also, i expect the fake rage for plus's to continue. how cool...

  • Flipper79 #30 4 months ago

    But on the plus side at least the certification board will never run out of brown envelopes.

  • dirtysteve #31 4 months ago

    Any game too violent for children to play, should be forced to pay for fat children.
    Makes sense.

  • Er-El #32 4 months ago

    @anomagnus Is there any hope of getting ACTA repealed?

  • anomagnus #33 4 months ago

    @CheeseChipsAndBeans

    Over the top, and never to be backed up in person.

  • Fatiguez #34 4 months ago

    He should spend the proceeds on tampons

  • KanePaws #35 4 months ago

    "I consider guns more dangerous than games."

    Guns don't kill people, video games kill people.

  • inutaihanyou #36 4 months ago

    A lot of people like to generalize. But unfortunately there are idiots everywhere who propose idiotic things, and that goes for this politician.

    I don't suggest lumping all of us into one mold as if we're some sort of hivemind who fits your stereotypical view. I would not do it to the British or European audiences so please don't do it to me.

    I'm certainly not stupid and i don't know a single person who feels this legislation would be sensible.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #37 4 months ago

    Earmarked taxes (sorry if this is the wrong term, I had to look it up in a dictionary and it sounded right) make sense - as long as the consequences of buying a certain product can be proven; Taxes on cigarettes to fund cancer research? Sure, go right ahead.

    However, I really don't see how this could work with games (or other mature rated media in general).

  • ChronoTravis #38 4 months ago

    @alcides From the bigotry laden in your post, I think you would fit right in with with these 'gun-wielding rednecks' you are referring to.

  • ChronoTravis #39 4 months ago

    I find it strange that a bunch of people who live outside of the US are expressing such rage at an entire country of 300 million people, over one piece of proposed legislation from one senator, from one state of 50. This bill has practically no chance of passing, and if I were you I'd be more worried right now about Europe's own idiot politicians who are passing the very real ACTA.

  • Gastrian #40 4 months ago

    Post deleted at 17:56:43 13-04-2012

  • Ironic_War_Criminal #41 4 months ago

    @ChronoTravis

    ACTA is facing a huge fight from both the EU Parliament (Which has to ratify it and the bill is facing massive opposition) and the EU Supreme Court (Which says it clashes with the Bill of Human Rights and says it may need a Europe wide referendum to pass it). It's still got a long way to go.
    Edited by Ironic_War_Criminal at 03/02/12 @ 20:18

  • wilding #42 4 months ago

    I'm from the US and I've never even seen one of these gun wielding rednecks some of you seem to think have overrun our country. Isn't that akin to me saying that everyone in the UK has terrible teeth? Or that all Germans are Nazis? Or that it's impossible to find a French woman who shaves her armpits?

    Come on guys, this state representative is an asshole, but so is Keith Vaz. You know that one or even 1,000 asshole politicians aren't indicative of the country as a whole, just like I know all the assholes in Heathrow (and there's a lot of them) aren't representative of the entire UK population.

  • shadow651 #43 4 months ago

    @ChronoTravis hate to break it to you but the US has also signed ACTA

  • cdk86 #44 4 months ago

    Wow the lawmakers of this world really are dumb and these are our leaders!

  • afrogeez #45 4 months ago

    Oh do fuck off.

  • craziii #46 4 months ago

    @TooOldToGame america isn't strange, it just has gone out of wrack since year 2000 starting with bush.

  • Badassbab #47 4 months ago

    To pay to fight child obesity? Coming from the land that regards pizza as a vegetable hence sold to children as school lunch(No I'm not making this up- blame the junk food lobby).

  • ChronoTravis #48 4 months ago

    @Badassbab Once again, it was ONE congressman who PROPOSED legislation that could designate tomato sauce as counting toward vegetable requirements for schools, why is it that people take anything said by any random politician from any one section of the country, and become convinced that it is the belief of everyone? It makes you seem dumb, that you can't draw the distinction between one proposed piece of legislation from one person, and the rest of the entire country.

  • Yuroko #49 4 months ago

    Oh, fuck off!

    That's about all I can think of to say about this.

  • Badassbab #50 4 months ago

    @ChronoTravis

    I'm not labelling the US population. Perhaps I should have made that clearer. But pizza is regarded as a vegetable in the good ole US.

    http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/18/us-usa-lunch-idUSTRE7AH00020111118
    Edited by Badassbab at 04/02/12 @ 00:49

  • FogHeart #51 4 months ago

    This is an attempt to link violent video games to violent behaviour in children by stealth. They want to have video games to be seen to be repairing the 'damage' they cause, and so thereafter they can allude to the link when taxing them further, or excusing the kind of censorship we see in Germany or Australia.

  • Samirnasirov #52 4 months ago

    why dont you just impose a tax on terrible games?

  • Neil__ #53 4 months ago

    Nothing America could ever do will surprise me after hearing about a proposed bill banning aborted human fetuses from being used in food products.
    I guess that's a big problem over there.

    http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=SB%201418
    Edited by Neil__ at 03/02/12 @ 22:16

  • inutaihanyou #54 4 months ago

    I don't mind the harping on US politicians, a majority of em are arse retarded make no mistake. But leave me out of it will you? :l

    "America", as the whole population is not synonymous with one politician, or even a majority of washington unfortunately. It just goes to show how out of touch with the people they are.

  • CamberGreber #55 4 months ago

    1% tax Fuck OFF

  • Acrid #56 4 months ago

    I'd swap a 1% tax on violent video games for the 20% tax we currently pay on all video games (if only).

  • Po1ymorph #57 4 months ago

    So instead of encouraging parents to be responsible and control there children eating habit's, the american government are going to tax gamers. Amazing.

    Bullying and computer games...I don't see the connection. Oh wait a minute, that's because there isn't one. It's just useless politicians trying to garner the supposed popular vote from uniformed voters.

  • Machiavellian #58 4 months ago

    Election year is coming up. Guess what, you will see politicians try to grab as many votes as possible. There have been some talk about violent video games. Politicians tries to grab some votes by playing the violent games card. It matters not that it goes through because the purpose is publicity.

    It's politics people and even if the people of Oklahoma was dumb enough to let that go through it would not hold up at the supreme court level.

    The sad part are the comments within this thread. Man you talk about some serious prejudice going on. All Americans are dumb and the US is crap because you have one idiot in a sea of thousands of politicians trying to gain votes any way he can.

  • Ryze #59 4 months ago

    BURN HIM!

  • Lucodeath #60 4 months ago

    99% of law makers/politicians are snide criminals. only interested in making as much dollar as they can in there own "legal" way.

  • SEVQA #61 4 months ago

    @Feanor Look the word up on google init!

  • ChronoTravis #62 4 months ago

    @Po1ymorph Well, thankfully this is being proposed in the state government of Oklahoma, not the federal government, so the vast majority of Americans would not be effected by it if it passes. The bill has little chance of passing, in any event.

  • ChronoTravis #63 4 months ago

    @Neil__ Well, 'America' isn't doing this, it's just one politician proposing a law that would effect only the state of Oklahoma. The human fetus bill that you are referring to is in this same category. The bill is actually aimed at stem cell research being used in the development of food products, and it is not literally referring to human fetuses being put into sandwiches. Also, the bill is only being 'proposed' and has no other sponsors in the Oklahoma government than the one senator that proposed it.

    I don't see how a bill being proposed by one man, that has no support from anyone else means that 'America' did it. I don't see why so many people in this comments section can't seem to separate the idea of a proposed law from one politician for one state, from the will of the rest of the country. It makes you look as dumb as the politicians you are railing against.

  • ShiroBen #64 4 months ago

    This can just feck right off.

  • dennett316 #65 4 months ago

    They want to use it to fight childhood obesity? Well why not tax things directly linked to that like fast food and it's direct advertising to kids? Oh that's right, McDonalds is too rich and lawyered up to take on with something like this...plus it wouldn't look as good to the inbred idiots you're trying to get to vote for you.
    How about an extra tax on violent books like, I don't know, the Bible? That thing has a hell of a body count.

  • hiddenranbir #66 4 months ago

    Money is being raised for positive things. Yay!

    Hentai games should be taxed to fight Japan.

  • DrStrangelove #67 4 months ago

    What I find most surprising is that he's talking about violence in video games, and not sexual content. Unusual for America.

    But then, makes sense. By addressing violent games, they'd collect taxes from anything that's not rated Early Childhood. Massacre and war crimes qualifies for 6 and over in the US, while a game where you can see a cleavage is hidden under the counter and sold only to people 21 and over.

  • super_monty #68 4 months ago

    Hitler never played video games, he was violent and he wasn't obese.
    Perhaps they should look at other reasons why the US has so many fat violent kids.

  • syra #69 4 months ago

    Are you guys kidding, that's a great idea as long as the publisher takes the tax and not the consumer.

    All industries should contribute to their externalities.

  • inutaihanyou #70 4 months ago

    @DrStrangelove

    The ratings system treats "war crimes" violence as you call it much the same way. Every call of duty post the first 3 have all had Mature ratings, and virtually every other "war shooter" has been designated a Mature title only suitable for 17 and up. There have been many lobbies to push a complete ban on selling any M rated titles to people under 21.

    I'm not sure what kind of "sexual content games" you are referring to that are "hidden under the counter", but Rumble Roses is on the shelf, DOA is on the shelf, Catherine is on the shelf.


    Of course that doesn't fit with your world view so its not acknowledged, so sorry about that. Have you ever even been to America?


    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entertainment_Software_Rating_Board
    Edited by inutaihanyou at 04/02/12 @ 13:23

  • Totza #71 4 months ago

    This is stupid, but what else do you expect from Americans.

  • Bilstar #72 4 months ago

    That's a nice idea.

    HOWEVER... Since it's such a good cause, why not take the 1% off the government tax on the sale of the game in the first place?

    Everyone's happy?

  • KanePaws #73 4 months ago

    But if video games make kids violent and fat, and we use this tax money to fund obesity programs, then won't those violent kids just become unhindered, in-shape killing machines!?

  • DurzoBlint #74 4 months ago

    It's not surprising that someone at Bioware fails to realise that levying a tax on a product is not, on its own, "unconstitutional". He's probably rot his brain with one too many Buffy marathons or something.

  • madjim #75 4 months ago

    I don't know... Is shooting some Taliban in Afghanistan considered violent behavior there in the US? I mean, games that you shoot Afghan people between the eyes shouldn't be taxed... It's not violent behavior fighting the Devil, right?

    I am confused.

  • frazzl #76 4 months ago

    William Fourkiller must be hot for Jesus.

  • Sunyavadin #77 4 months ago

    @TooOldToGame "That's the dumbest thing I've come across in quite some time."

    Really? Then you missed the one about the similar situation with one of them trying to pass a law prohibiting aborted foetuses from being used as a "flavour enhancer" in food.

    Which, y'know, would be pretty redundant seeing as THERE ARE STRICT LAWS ON HOW YOU DISPOSE OF MEDICAL WASTE AND ANYONE PUTTING IT IN FOOD ALREADY GOES DIRECTLY TO JAIL, AND DOES NOT PASS GO, NOR COLLECT 200 OF YOUR CURRENCY OF CHOICE

  • busboy33 #78 4 months ago

    People, he knows this ain't gonna work. He's just pushing stupid sh!t to get media attention. Its a waste of time and money, but welcome to the wonderful world of politicians.

    . . . and GO PATS!

  • lockload #79 4 months ago

    what about the violent movies? oh forgot he is most likely in the movie studios pocket... sorry i meant they support his campaign

  • verynaughtyboy #80 4 months ago

    Who decides if a game is violent or not? How do you decide that? You could make a case that Mario, Rayman, Worms etc. are all violent games! Mario essentially performs a less graphic kerb stomp than the Gears boys - they are technically the same thing.

    You can't enact this law with equality. It's a typical example of someone blurting out their ill conceived and not thought-through ideas and no one having the sense to ask, "Now have we really thought this out?"

    Also, fat kids and bullies are the failings of governments and parents. They need to stop searching for their scapegoat because as long as they are searching for it, they can't address the real problem - themselves!

  • Lord_Gremlin #81 4 months ago

    Now, a tax on stupid ideas is a brilliant idea. Idiots been breeding freely since 1980, that tax would be a gold mine.