The current situation of the gaming industry in Ho Chi Minh City
On November 6, the Department of Information and Communications of Ho Chi Minh City held a conference to deploy legal regulations on the management, provision and use of electronic game services on the Internet in Ho Chi Minh City.
Sharing at the event, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hoa - Head of Electronic Information Department - Ho Chi Minh City Department of Information and Communications said that the gaming industry is a potential business, having a great influence on young people and society.
According to statistics by early 2024, Ho Chi Minh City has 75 enterprises providing online G1 electronic game services, 28 enterprises registered to provide G2, G3, G4 game services licensed by the Ministry of Information and Communications.
Ho Chi Minh City is also the locality chosen to organize large-scale, prestigious gaming industry events and eSports tournaments in the past few years.
However, in addition to its positive contributions to the digital economy, the online gaming sector also faces many outstanding issues. According to Mr. Hoa, some businesses have not fully fulfilled their periodic reporting obligations, and the inspection and supervision regime is not strict. Some video games have updated new content, images and features but have not yet carried out the approval adjustment procedures according to regulations...
Recently, Ho Chi Minh City also recorded that up to 17 enterprises had their G1 electronic game service licenses suspended (for 3 months) due to not providing services and not implementing the periodic reporting regime as prescribed in Circular No. 24/2014/TT-BTTTT.
In 2023, through inspection, the Department proposed that the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee issue 3 decisions to sanction administrative violations for providing electronic game services without a G1 Electronic Game Service License with a fine of 240 million VND...
Orientation to 2030
Based on the actual situation, the Department of Information and Communications of Ho Chi Minh City has developed a plan to manage, guide and inspect the implementation of legal regulations in the provision and use of online electronic game services in the locality with a number of key tasks until 2030.
Accordingly, Ho Chi Minh City will build mechanisms, policies and perfect the legal system to encourage and promote local game businesses to develop healthily and in the right direction, contributing to the development of Ho Chi Minh City's digital economy.
The locality is also determined to prevent the release of unlicensed games and games with illegal content in the area; coordinate with the Ho Chi Minh City Police to strengthen control, remind, and handle according to authority a number of businesses providing online electronic games with signs of gambling and prize exchange; and advertise allowing players to use virtual money in electronic games to exchange for valuable rewards.
Ho Chi Minh City will also support and promote the release of healthy entertainment games associated with the development of eSports and school eSports to help students have healthy entertainment; repel social evils due to the impacts of violent games, games that deviate from ethical values, culture and customs...
