“Spiritual opium” now limited to three hours per week for China’s children

After a state media outlet described online games as “spiritual opium” the regulator in charge of China’s video game market has stepped in to limit children’s online gaming to three hours per week.

The BBC reports that the National Press and Publication Administration has decided that children under 18 should not be allowed to play online games outside of 8pm to 9pm on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

China’s Tencent had already announced that it would use facial recognition to prevent children playing games using an adult’s ID.

The move has caused the value of stocks in China’s online gaming firms to drop significantly.