Authorities in South Korea have moved to block all games on Facebook as part of an effort to clamp down on what they refer to as the ‘social gambling industry’.
According to the Pokerupdate.com website, residents in the country will no longer be able to access games on the social networking site.
The shutdown, which began on August 26, initially only blocked financial transactions towards Facebook game operators, but has since evolved into a fully-fledged ban on all games.
Titles no longer accessible to players in the country include popular games such as Candy Crush Saga, Farmville and Zynga Texas Hold’em Poker.
Developers that wish to re-enter the country’s market must submit an application with the Game Rating and Administration Committee (GRAC) to have their product reviewed and rated.
The GRAC said all applications, which also carry an additional fee, will be reviewed within 15 days of submission.
The all-encompassing ban brings Facebook games in line with the country’s Game Industry Promotion Act of December 2013.
The Act describes the process of rating games by a panel of nine people and placing them into the four categories.
These comprise ‘All’ that are suitable for all ages, ‘12+’ for players aged 12 or older, ‘15+’ for those aged over 15 and ‘Adult only’ for games that are not suitable for children or minors.
