The Ministry of Information and Communication has cut off public Internet over rising concern of online gaming influencing youth culture in a negative way. The ban restricts online gaming from taking place overnight across public access channels and it bans the advertisement of online games, pending new regulations.
The ban also removed the ability for gaming companies to accrue licensing for distribution. The ban is temporary until at least the end of the year, said Vietnamese officials. A total of 22 gaming companies with 93 games exist in Vietnam at this time.
Rising public outcry over games’ influence on youth culture has been a major concern for the Vietnamese government. Officials have stated that the crackdown on online games will hopefully result in less exposure of violence, gambling and pornography to young gamers.
With a ban in place, parents believe that less time will be spent playing games, resulting in less truancy, juvenile crimes and other problems that they think are caused by the influence of online games.
Online gaming is estimated to attract upwards of 3 million youth in Vietnam. The Ministry of Education recently surveyed students across the country, showing that 70 to 76 percent of primary school children play online games during the weekdays. An astonishing 100 percent of respondents stated that they played online games during the weekend.
