The invention relates to a valve control means (1) for an internal combustion engine, having two cams (2, 3) which are arranged one behind another on a camshaft (20), the cams (2, 3) having different cam contours, a drag lever system (4), having a first lever (5), a second lever (7) which is connected to the first lever (5) such that it can be rotated about a pivot point (6), and a third lever (8) which is connected fixedly to the first lever (5), the first lever (5) having a roller pickup (15) for a first cam (2) and the second lever (7) having a roller pickup (17) for the second cam (3), the third lever (8) having a slotted guide (9) for the rectilinear positive guidance of a valve (30), the drag lever system (4) being mounted at the pivot point (6) such that it can be adjusted on a circular path (10) about the rotational axis (21) of the camshaft (20) in a cylinder block or cylinder head of the internal combustion engine, and having a play compensation element (11) between the second lever (7) and the first lever (5) or the third lever (8) for play compensation and for limiting the rotatability of the second lever (7) with respect to the first lever (5) and the third lever (8). Furthermore, the invention relates to an internal combustion engine, having at least one valve control means of this type.