Chinese Teens Under 18 Now Banned From Online Gaming After 10 P.M., Says Government Curfew

Those who are under 18 are not allowed to play online games between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., according to the guidelines released by the Chinese government on Tuesday via BBC.

Underage gamers can only play their games for 90 minutes during weekdays and for three hours during weekends and holidays.

In addition to the curfew, the Chinese government has also included spending limits in its guidelines depending on the age of the child.

Gamers aged 8 to 16 can only spend 200 yuan ($28) per month on their game while 16 to 18-year-old gamers can spend up to 400 yuan ($57) on their accounts.

The Chinese government will also implement a new system where players must register their real names, ABC Australia reported.

This will force gaming companies to verify the age of their players against a national database to prevent them from registering using their parents’ details.

Companies that will fail to comply to these new implementations may face having their licenses revoked.

An unnamed government spokesperson told state-run media Xinhua that the measure was implemented due to concerns of the impact of video game addiction in minors, such as affecting their physical and mental health.