Beijing Issues Ban on Illegal Electronic GamesThe Beijing municipal government has issued a circular on banning the production, sales, and use of nearly 60 kinds of electronic games which are used for gambling.The circular, jointly issued by local cultural, public security and industrial and commercial bureaus, is aimed at eliminating the sources of "electronic heroin," city government sources said today. It has been reported that the number of electronic game centers has been mushrooming over the past few years in the Chinese capital. Statistics show that by the end of May, there were 492 registered electronic game centers, with 21,374 video game players. But some of these centers have used video games for gambling rather than entertainment. This has negatively influenced youngsters, especially primary and middle school students. The phenomenon has caught the attention of the city government. Since March, the local government has launched a campaign to clean up electronic game centers. By April, 188 centers had been closed and 74 others were ordered to suspend operation. The circular said that those found still using electronic games for illegal businesses will be severely punished. Gambling is illegal in China. |
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