China limits gaming hours for minors and students

China has limited gaming time for players under the age of 18 in the latest update on the anti-addiction policy, the industry regulator said on Monday.

Minors and students will be allowed to play games from 8pm to 9pm on Fridays, weekends and holidays, according to the National Press and Publication Administration.

Online gaming firms, including Tencent, NetEase and Perfect World, have been told to enhance identity and real-name registration. They are forbidden from providing gaming services to minors outside those hours. Families and schools are encouraged to ensure that students don't get addicted to games, said the regulator.

Tencent said on Monday it will "strictly abide by and actively implement them (the regulations)."

Tencent has applied various new technologies and functions since 2017 to limit gameplay time for minors. The developer of Honor of Kings and PUBG Mobile said it had already limited gaming hours for minors to one hour on working days and two hours on weekends and holidays.

Previously, China had limited the online playing time for minors to three hours on holidays and 1.5 hours on other days.

China's gaming market revenue crossed 150 billion yuan (US$23.4 billion) in the first half, with 667 million players, industry officials said at ChinaJoy, Asia's biggest game fair held in Shanghai.

Shares of Chinese gaming companies took a hit following the release of new regulations.

Shenzhen-listed Perfect World plunged 6.34 percent to close at 13.6 yuan on Monday and 37 Interactive Entertainment dropped 5.08 percent to 16.2 yuan.

Nasdaq-listed NetEase declined 6.96 percent in the pre-trading market on Monday.