Under 18s Limited to Three Hours of Online Gaming a Week in China

China has moved to limit the amount of time that children (those under the age of 18) spend on online videogames. Regulations put in place by the National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) mean they will be restricted to only one hour a day on Fridays and weekends, as well as during holidays between 8pm and 9pm. Pre-existing regulations had been 90 minutes per day and three hours during holiday, so the change is not insignificant.

Increased inspections will also be carried out against online gaming companies, to ensure that the limitations are being strictly adhered to.

With state media having referred to online gaming as “spiritual opium” it’s no surprise that the government is keen to limit the amount of time the younger generations are exposed. It will be interesting to see whether further restrictions will be put in place in future, as well as whether there will be any noticeable impact on the large gaming firms based in China.