China's film industry associations have regulated cheap movie tickets, saying retail ticket prices must not be lower than the prices in distribution contracts, Xinhua learned Thursday.

The association for film distribution and exhibition and the film producers' association made the decision after many people turned to online sales to buy discounted film tickets, some of them as low as 9.9 yuan ($1.6).

Unidentified officials from the two associations said cheap tickets would still be available, but ticket sellers must make up the difference with the price on the contracts.