On November 9, 2024, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree 147/2024/ND-CP concerning the management, provision, and use of Internet services and online information.

From December 25, 2024, online game players in Vietnam are prohibited from trading virtual items with each other

Article 57 of Decree 147/2024/ND-CP regulates virtual items, virtual units, and rewards of online games (abbreviated as games) as follows:

(1) Enterprises providing online gaming services are only allowed to generate virtual items, virtual units, and rewards within an online game according to the details reported by the enterprise in the dossier for the Decision on issuing G1 online games, and the Notification of issuance for G2, G3, G4 online games.

(2) Players are allowed to use rewards or virtual units in their game accounts to purchase or exchange for virtual items created by the online game service provider within that game.

(3) Enterprises providing online game services are obliged to manage virtual items, virtual units, and rewards in the game in line with the published rules and approved game content. They are not allowed to attach promotional programs with prizes (in money or tangible assets outside the game) to the interface or features of the online game.

(4) Virtual items, virtual units, and rewards can only be used within the scope of the online game and for the purposes reported by the enterprise. They cannot be converted back into cash, mobile telecommunications pre-paid cards, bank cards, shopping cards, game cards, gift cards, or any tangible assets with exchange value outside of the online game.

(5) Do not buy or sell virtual items, virtual units, or rewards between players.

As per the regulations, from December 25, 2024, online game players are prohibited from trading virtual items, virtual units, and game rewards with each other outside the game.

Restricting game time for players under 18 in Vietnam from December 25, 2024

Based on regulations at point e, clause 1, Article 39, and point e, clause 1, Article 48 of Decree 147/2024/ND-CP, enterprises providing online gaming services, whether online or offline, must implement technical systems capable of managing the daily playing time (from 00:00 to 24:00) of players.

The management of daily playing time (from 00:00 to 24:00) for players under 18 years old should not exceed 60 minutes per game, and no more than 180 minutes per day across all games provided for players under 18 by the enterprise.

Additionally, game providers must display advisory messages stating “Playing more than 180 minutes a day adversely affects health” in easily noticeable locations on game forums (if any), and on the player’s device screen at intervals of 30 minutes during gameplay.

These regulations will be enforced from December 25, 2024, when Decree 147/2024/ND-CP officially takes effect.

Classification of online game management in Vietnam

Online games are classified as follows:

(1) Online games with interaction between multiple players simultaneously through the enterprise’s game server system (abbreviated as G1 games);

(2) Online games with interaction only between the player and the enterprise’s game server system (abbreviated as G2 games);

(3) Online games with interaction between multiple players but without interaction between players and the enterprise’s game server system (abbreviated as G3 games);

(4) Online games that are downloaded via the internet, without interaction between players or between players and the enterprise’s game server system (abbreviated as G4 games)

(clause 1, Article 37 of Decree 147/2024/ND-CP)

 

The above information is provided by Mys Law. For any questions regarding the content of this article, please contact 0969.361.319 or email: [email protected] for further clarification. Best regards!

Compiler: Nguyen Anh Quan