Regulators will officially scrap a ban for children under 16 that prohibits them from access to computer games from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. as of January 1.

The National Assembly passed a revision to the Youth Protection Act that abolishes the “forced shutdown system” during a plenary session on Thursday. 

The regulation was put in place in November 2011 in line with the youth act in a bid to cut down the time teenagers spend playing computer games and to increase their sleep.

The government apparently decided to revoke the system as it has become virtually pointless given that more teens nowadays play games on smartphones rather than personal computers.

Meanwhile, the government plans to boost the usability of a system under which youth under 18 and their parents can regulate hours spent on computer games.