Under-18s in China will be limited to three hours of online gaming a week as the state cracks down on what it calls ‘spiritual opium’.
Youngsters will only be able to play for an hour a day from 8pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The strict new rules were announced by the Xinhua state news agency today after parents reported gaming addiction was getting in the way of their children’s studies and health.
Game makers will be required to set up anti-addiction and real-name verification systems and ‘resolutely’ implement them.
China’s games regulator the National Press and Publication Administration said it would step up inspections of companies to ensure the time limits were being enforced.
It added that parents and teachers can play key roles in curbing gaming addiction.
An administration spokesperson said: ‘Teenagers are the future of our motherland. Protecting the physical and mental health of minors is related to the people’s vital interests, and relates to the cultivation of the younger generation in the era of national rejuvenation.’
The restrictions, which apply to any devices including phones, go far beyond rules made in 2019 when China cut playing time to 90 minutes on any day and three hours on holidays.
State media foreshadowed the regulatory crackdown in recent weeks by hitting out at the ‘savage growth’ of some games companies.
It comes as a body blow to a global gaming industry that caters to tens of millions of young players.
Shares in Amsterdam-listed tech investment company Prosus, which holds a 29% stake in Chinese social media and video games giant Tencent, were down 1.45%. European online video gaming stocks Ubisoft and Embracer Group each fell over 2%.
A state media outlet described online games as ‘spiritual opium’ this month, citing Tencent’s battle arena game Honor of Kings.
Tencent later announced new measures to reduce the time and money children spend on games.
Its president also said it was working with regulators to explore ways in which the total amount of time minors spent on gaming could be capped across all titles in the industry.
MORE : New video game crackdown feared as Chinese state media warns of ‘spiritual opium’
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