China limits children’s online gaming to three hours a week

China on Monday announced a drastic cut to children’s online gaming time to just three hours a week during term time, the latest move in a broad crackdown on tech giants in the world’s biggest gaming market.

Gamers under 18 will only be allowed to play online between 8:00pm and 9:00pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, state news agency Xinhua said, in what it described as a bid to curb addiction in the gaming-crazy nation.

Gamers are required to use their ID cards when registering to play online, to ensure minors don’t lie about their age.

On school holidays, children will be allowed to play a little longer, with the allocated time set at 60 minutes per day.

“Gaming addiction has affected studies and normal life... and many parents have become miserable,” the National Press and Publication Administration said in a statement. Companies are prohibited from offering gaming services outside the stipulated hours, although the statement did not make it clear how rule-breakers would be punished.