The development of agencies and public internet access points contributes to raising people’s intellectual standards and the quality of their spiritual life. However, alongside the positive aspects this service brings, many students and young people are drawn to violent games and access websites with inappropriate content. This significantly impacts the psychological development, health, and ethics of a segment of adolescents and youths, and affects social order and safety.

In the past, provincial functional sectors have conducted numerous inspections and reviews of public electronic game service businesses. The inspection focused on business licenses, compliance with operating hours regulations, fire safety assurance, player management, and equipment, particularly adherence to regulations regarding the age of electronic game service users. The inspection found that the establishments generally complied with regulations; however, some cases still lacked full registration, operated outside the permitted scope, installed private servers to run games of unknown origin, or failed to store access logs as required by management.

Recently, the inter-sectoral inspection team examined 28 public electronic game service providers. The inspection revealed that many public electronic game service providers did not fully comply with regulations, such as: operating licenses had expired; signboards did not display all required information; and they failed to strictly adhere to regulated opening and closing hours (operating outside the time frame from 8a.m. to 10p.m. daily). Many points were found allowing customers to play after the regulated hours.

The team proceeded to draw up administrative violation reports and issued decisions to impose administrative fines on 26 violating public electronic game service providers. Specifically, administrative action was taken against 22 providers for the violation “Operating outside the time frame from 8a.m. to 10p.m. daily”; 2 providers for the violation “Establishing a public electronic game service point without meeting sufficient operating conditions”; and 2 providers for the violation “Failure to display all required information on the signboard.”

Stemming from the inadequacies in public internet business activities in the area, on October 31, 2025, the Provincial People’s Committee issued Decision 84/2025/QD-UBND, which specifically regulates several contents concerning the management of public internet access points and public electronic game service points in the province. The Decision stipulates specific operating hours and licensing conditions, and clearly defines the responsibilities of each department, sector, and local government to ensure management is implemented synchronously, continuously, and effectively.

Accordingly, the regulation strictly limits the operating hours of agencies and public internet access points to only 8a.m. to 10p.m.; establishments that also provide games must strictly comply with the time frame set out in the Government’s Decree 147. The regulation aims to limit the situation of internet shops opening overnight, which facilitates gatherings of youth and adolescents, prolonged gaming, or indulgence in unsupervised online activities. Simultaneously, in emergency cases related to security, order, or epidemics, functional authorities have the right to request closure or adjustment of operating hours to ensure community safety.

The Decision also assigns the People’s Committees of communes and wards the authority to appraise dossiers, conduct on-site inspections, and directly issue, amend, extend, or revoke the certificates of public electronic game service points. This is a strong decentralization step, appropriate to the reality that local authorities are the units most familiar with the activities of each establishment in their area.

In implementing the regulation, the Department of Education and Training has focused on communication, warning, and guiding students on proper internet use. Given the reality that students are easily drawn to online games, awareness education solutions play a decisive role in root prevention. When schools increase coordination with parents and local authorities, student supervision will be tighter, limiting the risk of becoming immersed in games.

On the part of commune and ward governments, they must fully and strictly execute the state management duties in their managed areas: disseminate regulations to 100% of establishment owners; conduct continuous inspection and supervision; and coordinate with the police and related sectors to promptly detect and thoroughly handle violations. Local authorities are also responsible for periodically reporting the list of legal establishments and those whose licenses have been revoked, ensuring transparent and unified management across the province.

To achieve high efficiency in managing public internet and electronic game services, there needs to be resolute involvement from functional sectors and coordination among families, schools, and residential areas to communicate and educate students, adolescents, and youths on safe and healthy internet use.