These days, video games attract many youths, including children and adolescents, and as it happens, some adults as well. There are many different types of games. Some involve playing cards or chess, with or without betting, some are in the form of sports (e.g., soccer) teams that compete against each other, and others include group participation in simulated violence, murder, theft, fraud, and similar acts. What is the ruling on playing these games, and buying, selling, or renting them?
Anything that is considered gambling and betting is forbidden, whether it is done by external means (i.e., using gambling/betting devices) or electronically. It is also forbidden to engage in such activities even if it does not involve betting based on obligatory precaution, and it is not permissible to deal with it [in any form of trade]. Other than these games, there is no problem in playing, for example, sports competitions, provided that it does not contain/constitute something forbidden, leads to moral corruption, or leads to addiction to that game or others similar to it. As such, they must be avoided if they cause a person to neglect their religious duties, such as performing prayers in their prescribed times, or have detrimental psychological effects like making the player aggressive towards others, or similar effects.