According to Bloomberg, citing state media reports, Chinese gaming platforms Tencent and NetEase have been ordered to limit online gaming to children to three hours per week by regulators. This is in response to growing concerns about gaming addiction and a wider crackdown on China's tech giants.
Children below 18 years old will be limited to one hour gaming on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. This includes public holidays. This is a significant change from the 1.5 hour limit for online gaming on most days. According to Reuters, gaming companies will have to restrict online game play beyond those hours and must implement a real-name verification system to ensure that the new rules are adhered to.
The state intervention was inevitable
Regulators state that they will also work with schools and parents to combat the problem of gaming addiction in Chinese youth.
Today's new rules were issued a month following an article in state media that described online games like spiritual opium. However, it was clear from the article's tone that state intervention was inevitable.
