China to ban kids gaming to three hours a week

China has announced that they will ban kids gaming with a “three-hour” limit. The new law will set a ban of three hours per week and instead focus on providing more opportunities for exercise and education. China’s deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) says this is to keep up with international trends in gaming among youth.

The country sees it as their duty to protect children from addiction but also wants them to have access to entertainment options like gaming. The hope is that by setting limits, parents can enjoy these activities with their children while still maintaining a healthy lifestyle themselves. This new change should provide benefits for all parties involved: younger generations get healthier lifestyles while parents feel less guilty about it.

China is the second-largest gaming market. Gamers between the ages of eight and 16 can spend a maximum of 200 yuan per month, whereas those who are aged 16 or older will have to pay up to 400. China is the second-largest gaming market, US global revenue surpassed that of China’s for the first time this year, thanks to China’s increased regulations on the industry.

What gaming giants should ban kids gaming?

As per Bloomberg citing state media reports, Chinese gaming giants like Tencent and NetEase should limit online gaming for all minors to just three hours per week as per the new rules imposed by regulators on Monday. The change is to tackle the growing concern of gaming addiction and for a broader crackdown on China’s tech giants. Everyone below 18 will be restricted to one hour of gaming from 8 pm to 9 pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; as well as on public holidays. 

The previous limit stood at 1.5 hours of online gameplay for most days. Gaming companies are instructed to restrict online gameplay outside those hours, as per Reuters. There also is a real-name verification system in place to enforce the new rules. Regulators have said that they’ll be working with parents and schools to help fight against gaming addiction. 

When will this new rule be imposed?

These new rules have been issued today, as the aftermath of an article published by state media, which described online games as a form of “spiritual opium.” Though the phrase was deleted, the tone of the article hints that intervention was inevitable. 

China was always critical of video games and said that video games negatively affecting young people. In 2018, the government had also announced the establishment of a gaming regulator. To limit the number of new online games and to restrict their playing time. If you liked this article (or if it helped at all), leave a comment below or share it with friends, so they can also know about China’s tightening of regulation on video games.