Japanese politicians in the Kagawa Prefecture are drafting a law that could limit the number of hours that children and teenagers can play video games. There has been a lot of dialogue among international ruling bodies regarding video games over the past few years, but that has mostly focused on banning loot boxes in games meant for children.
Video games have become the most profitable part of the entertainment industry and the explosion of mobile gaming means that everyone has access to games at all times. This has led to concerns over predatory practices in regards to gambling mechanics, as well as addiction to gaming in general. It has now reached a point where 65% of adults play games on a regular basis, which means that gaming has a staggering reach in terms of its potential audience.
The ruling body of the Kagawa Prefecture in Japan has announced its intentions to draft a law that will restrict the amount of time that people under the age of eighteen can play video games. According to Sora News 24, the Kagawa Prefecture Assembly is drafting a law that could limit the time that people who are under seventeen or who won't graduate until after they turn eighteen can play games. The intention is for young gamers to be limited to one hour of gaming on a weekday and ninety minutes a day on the weekend.
It should be noted that the Kagawa Prefecture is the smallest prefecture in Japan. It should also be noted that there will be no penalties enacted on those who break this law, assuming that it's passed. According to NHK News Web, the proposal is meant to be more of a statement about the responsibility for parents and schools to impose their own limitations. There is also the fact that it would be very difficult to regulate, especially with a portable system like a mobile phone or the Nintendo Switch. The Nintendo Switch has sold over eight million units in Japan and it's easy to disconnect them from the Internet, so how would the government go about tracking the amount of time that they are being played?
There is an argument to be made for restricting the amount of time that kids spend playing video games every day, and that also extends to things like spending time on the Internet and watching movies & TV shows. The responsibility for monitoring and restricting this time belongs to parents and guardians, not to government bodies. There are aspects of video games that need legislation, such as loot boxes, but the time spent gaming is something that can be difficult to monitor without an Orwellian government running the show.
Source: Sora News 24, NHK News Web