China's press watchdog on Monday halted software sales of 45 unapproved overseas cyber games and 26 domestic online games containing pornography, violence and gambling.

The General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) said the imported cyber games had not won authority's approval and the domestic games had added illegal content or gambling functionality after passing examination and obtaining approval for release.

The overseas games include Omerta, a text-based multiplayer role playing online game related to Mafia stories of the 1930s.

The GAPP also ordered 27 Internet companies to stop providing online platforms for illegal games, urging online game designers to install anti-addiction systems in their products.

The GAPP is to further tighten supervision over licensed operators of cyber games and eliminate all unapproved games.

(Xinhua News Agency September 1, 2009)