China tech giant Tencent to warn parents when children spend too much money on games such as Honour of Kings

World’s top grossing games publisher to notify account holders when underage players spend over US$77 a day

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Chinese kids play mobile games on smartphones in Chengdu city, Sichuan province. The World Health Organisation this week classified gaming disorders as a mental health condition. Photo: Imaginechina

Published: 1:28pm, 21 Jun 2018Updated: 11:02pm, 21 Jun 2018

Tencent Holdings, the world's top grossing games publisher, will alert parents when their children spend excessively on games amid growing global concern over the mental health impact of the industry.

Tencent said on Wednesday it will notify payment account owners whenever an underaged QQ account user spends more than 500 yuan (US$77) a day on its games, including the widely popular title Honour of Kings.

Using a dedicated customer service team of 200 people, Tencent will identify users under 18 years of age based on information from the real-name registration process, or by judging from their online behaviour.

Payment account holders will be reached through WeChat, Tencent’s messaging app, or via the phone number provided during the account registration process.

A child plays Tencent’s blockbuster Honour of Kings, which has sparked concerns about how much time and money kids spend on the games. Photo: Reuters

The alert service is currently in trial operation and the company said it pledges to modify and improve its rules on game spending levels, identification of underage users, and methods of contacting account holders.