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Gaming: China brings in limits for under-18s

Image of a child concentrating with a games controller in his handImage source, Getty Images

Gamers who are under 18 in China will be banned from playing online between certain hours.

The country is bringing in a curfew for young people so they aren't allowed to play between 10:00pm and 8:00am.

Experts there hope it will help tackle video game addiction, which officials say is damaging children's health.

China is the second largest gaming country in the world.

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Under the new rules, under-18s can only play for 90 minutes on weekdays, while they may play up to three hours per day on weekends and public holidays.

There's also a limit being brought in as to how much children can spend.

Gamers who are aged between 8-16 will be allowed to spend up to 200 yuan per month, (that's 拢22) while those between 16-18 can spend up to 400 yuan on their gaming accounts.

Image source, Getty Images

Are video games a problem ?

Experts think they can be, if playing too much becomes a problem.

The World Health Organization in 2018 identified gaming addiction - which they call "gaming disorder" - as a mental health condition for the first time.

Some countries have listed excessive gaming as a major public health issue, and many have private addiction clinics to treat the condition.

In the UK, plans have been announced to give young people who are seriously addicted to computer games better access to NHS treatment.

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