People addicted to video games might be suffering from a mental illness, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.

In its latest revision to a disease classification manual, the WHO said Monday that compulsively playing video games now qualifies as a new mental health condition.

It describes addiction to digital and video gaming as "a pattern of "persistent or recurrent gaming behaviour" that is so extensive it "takes precedence over other life interests".

The classification is set out in the organisation's reference work of recognised and diagnosable diseases, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD).

The ICD has been updated over the past 10 years and now covers 55,000 injuries, diseases and causes of death.

The UN health agency said classifying “Gaming Disorder” as a separate condition will “serve a public health purpose for countries to be better prepared to identify this issue.”

1. People become dire addicts to video games if they just can not control the onset, frequency, intensity, duration, termination, and context of the game.

2. When the player shoots up interest or priority for gaming to the extent that gaming takes life over other life interests and daily activities

3. When the love for the game eats up their entire social life leaving them as loners.

4. When the thirst for video games even translates to poker and other social vices.

So far, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified "gaming disorder" as a separate condition to help governments, families and healthcare workers be more vigilant and prepared to identify the risks.

"Video gaming is like a non-financial kind of gambling from a psychological point of view," said Griffiths, a distinguished professor of behavioral addiction at Nottingham Trent University.