Pilot programme allowing Vietnamese to gamble in casinos extended

The decree specifies that upon the end of these trial periods, businesses must cease allowing Vietnamese citizens to gamble until the Government issues a decree either ending or continuing permission for Vietnamese citizens to play at casinos. Photo chinhphu.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnamese government is extending the pilot programme to allow Vietnamese to gamble in casinos, according to a newly issued decree.

Regarding the pilot programme permitting Vietnamese citizens to gamble at casinos, the decree stated that the pilot period is three years from the date the first casino business allows Vietnamese citizens to play.

After three years, the Government will review, evaluate and decide on whether to continue permitting Vietnamese citizens to gamble at casinos or to terminate the licence.

In 2016, the Politburo approved a three-year pilot programme permitting Vietnamese citizens to gamble at casinos in Phú Quốc Island (in the southern province of Kiên Giang) and Vân Đồn (in the northern province of Quảng Ninh). However, only Phú Quốc’s casino began operations in January 2019, with the pilot programme scheduled to conclude in January 2022.

In 2022, the Ministry of Finance proposed extending the pilot for two additional years in Phú Quốc, citing the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on casino operations and limited trial results.

In May, the Politburo approved extending the pilot programme at Phú Quốc until the end of this year. For the Vân Đồn project, the three-year pilot will begin once the casino becomes operational (it is not yet open).

To swiftly codify this pilot extension, the Government issued Decree No. 145/2024/NĐ-CP on November 4, 2024, amending Clause 2, Article 12 of Decree No. 03/2017/NĐ-CP to outline pilot programme durations as follows: For the first licensed casino business, the pilot programme is extended until December 31, 2024, for other casinos licensed to conduct the pilot (if any), the trial period is three years from the date of business certification.

The decree specifies that upon the end of these trial periods, businesses must cease allowing Vietnamese citizens to gamble until the Government issues a decree either ending or continuing permission for Vietnamese citizens to play.

The Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the State Bank of Việt Nam and the provincial People's Committees overseeing the pilot casinos, will conduct assessments and report to the Government on the feasibility of continuing or ending Vietnamese citizen access. These reports are due by November 30, 2024, for the first casino to receive a pilot licence and sixty days before the end of any subsequent trial periods for other casinos.

Based on the competent authorities’ findings, the Government will issue a resolution on whether to end or continue permitting Vietnamese citizens to gamble at casinos.

Currently, nine casinos operate in Việt Nam, including six small-scale casinos in Đồ Sơn (Hải Phòng), Lợi Lai, Hoàng Gia and Hồng Vận Hotel (Quảng Ninh), International Hotel (Lào Cai), Silver Shores (Đà Nẵng). There are three large-scale casinos in Nam Hội An (Quảng Nam), Hồ Tràm (Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu) and Phú Quốc (Kiên Giang).

Among these, Phú Quốc’s Corona Casino, developed by Phú Quốc Tourism Investment and Development JSC, has been operational since 2019, set within a complex with a total investment exceeding VNĐ50 trillion (US$1.97 billion). It is currently the only casino allowing Vietnamese citizens to gamble. — VNS