🇻🇳For operators · Tax, marketing & compliance
Vietnam gambling regulation for operators
Online gambling is illegal except for the state-run lottery. A pilot program allowing locals into specific casinos remains active but under review. A new sports betting decree is pending.
OverviewOverview built from public sources. An in-depth review of Vietnam is available on request. Request it
Product by product
| Product | Status |
|---|---|
| Online betting · Online casino · Online poker | Banned |
| Lottery | Limited |
Regulator and player protection in Vietnam
Mandatory RG controls
No limit imposed on players
Deposit limits or reality checks the law requires operators to offer
Advertising stance
Banned or near-banned
Whether you can run TV / sponsorship / paid-social campaigns
Heads-up for operators
3 items
New Sports Betting Decree Under Review
A new draft decree to replace Decree 06/2017 for sports betting is under government review. It proposes higher betting limits and stricter AML controls.
Source: 1
Local Casino Pilot Program Evaluation
The government continues to evaluate the social and economic impacts of the local casino access pilot program, with its long-term future and potential expansion remaining uncertain.
Source: 2
A draft decree to replace Decree 06/2017 on sports betting is under government review. Key proposals include raising the daily betting cap from VND 1 million to VND 10 million, requiring full identity disclosure for all bettors to comply with AML laws, and potentially licensing a single operator or a maximum of three for a new five-year pilot program.
Not yet in force: drafts, laws adopted without a start date, and sections of the law still to be commenced. An item moves to the timeline below on the day it takes effect.
Licence Types in Vietnam
3 licence types are listed for Vietnam; each says who issues it and what it covers.
| Licence | Regulator | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casino Operating Licence | Ministry of Finance | Up to 50 years | Intrinsically tied to a minimum US$2 billion investment in an integrated resort complex. Governed by Decree 03/2017/ND-CP and subsequent resolutions for local-access pilots. |
| Sports Betting Pilot | Ministry of Finance | Five-year pilots | Framework established by Decree 06/2017 for international football, horse, and greyhound racing. Has seen very limited commercial implementation, with a new draft decree pending to replace it. |
| State Lottery Monopoly | Ministry of Finance | Ongoing | The state holds an absolute monopoly on all lottery products through the Vietnam Lottery Company (Vietlott), including its online ticket sales platform. |
Licensing model
Vietnam does not offer standalone online gambling licences. The state holds an absolute monopoly on lottery via Vietlott, which runs the only legal online gambling (ticket sales). Casino licences are tied to a minimum US$2 billion integrated resort investment. All other forms of online gambling are illegal. New products or rule changes are introduced exclusively through slow, time-limited 'pilot' schemes.
Gambling tax: 35% of GGR
Detail
Casinos are subject to a 35% Special Consumption Tax (SCT) on GGR. Licensed sports betting is taxed at 5% of turnover.
Lottery operations are subject to a 15% SCT. A standard 20% Corporate Income Tax (CIT) also applies to profits.
Vietnam's gambling tax next to neighbours and nearby markets
Each bar is the headline operator tax as that country's own page states it, for Vietnam, its neighbour and the nearest other markets (marked “nearby”) that tax gross gaming revenue or sports-betting stakes. Hover or tap a bar to see what it is made of; a tax on stakes is drawn at its weight against revenue.
Year-1 cost: US$2 billion+
An official, public fee schedule for gambling licences is not published. The primary cost is the statutory minimum investment capital required for an integrated resort, which is prohibitive for most.
| Line item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Land-based Casino Licence | no published fee schedule | Licence is tied to a minimum required investment capital of US$2 billion into an integrated resort project, as per Decree 03/2017/ND-CP. |
| Online Casino / Poker Licence | Not applicable Source5 | Illegal. No commercial licences are available. |
| Online Sports Betting Licence | Not applicable Source6 | Illegal. A new pilot scheme is under consideration, but no commercial licences are currently available. |
| Lottery Licence | Not applicable Source7 | State monopoly. No commercial licences are available. |
| Operator GGR Tax (Casino) | 35% Special Consumption Tax Source2 | Levied on Gross Gaming Revenue, in addition to 20% Corporate Income Tax. |
Year 1 estimate
US$2 billion+
The entry cost is effectively the minimum capital investment required for an integrated resort to be eligible for a casino licence.
Which foreign licences Vietnam accepts
Vietnam recognises none of these 8 foreign licences.
BannedNot recognized
Malta (MGA) · United Kingdom (UKGC) · Gibraltar (GRA) · Isle of Man (GSC) · Alderney (AGCC) · Kahnawake (KGC) · Anjouan
All unlicensed online gambling is illegal and sites are actively IP-blocked.
Curaçao (CGB)
Though common for offshore sites targeting Vietnam, they are illegal, offer no local player protection, and are subject to blocking.
Bonus rules: welcome bonuses banned
Bonuses bannedInducement ads: Banned
A general prohibition on unlicensed online gambling applies. As the state does not issue licences for online casinos or poker, there is no specific legal framework for bonuses. Bonuses are considered part of an illegal activity and are subject to strict enforcement.
What the player can claim
- Welcome bonus
- Banned
- VIP schemes
- Banned
- Loyalty schemes
- Banned
- Cashback
- Banned
- Online casino-style games
- Online card-based games
Under Decree 147/2024/ND-CP, online casino-style and card-based games are explicitly prohibited, so any associated bonuses or retention tools are illegal. The legal sports betting pilot is limited to horse racing, greyhound racing, and specific international football matches.
What the operator can advertise
- Channels off-limits
- All digital media (de facto ban based on enforcement actions)
- Penalties
Advertising agencies face fines from VND 15,000,000 to VND 55,000,000 for placing ads on illegal platforms. Operating illegal gambling can result in severe monetary penalties and imprisonment.
The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) maintains an official 'Black List' of websites violating local laws, including by promoting gambling. It is illegal for advertisers and publishers to cooperate with these sites.
Recent advertising-violation cases
| Date | Operator | Violation | Penalty | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2025 | Unnamed criminal network | Operating an illegal online gambling and money laundering network advertised via banners on pornographic websites. | Network dismantled; involved transactions of approx. $47 million. | VietnamNet |
| January 2025 | Unnamed individuals | Operating a billion-dollar money laundering ring linked to online gambling operations. | Arrests made. | iGamingBusiness |
| June 2024 | WPP Media Ltd. | Placing legitimate brand advertisements on channels and social media pages with illegal content, including gambling streams. | Fined (one of four fines between Apr 2023 and Apr 2024). | VietnamNet |
Advertising: banned or near-banned
Online casino advertising is comprehensively banned in Vietnam. This reflects the illegal status of online casino operations under Decree 147/2024/ND-CP. In contrast, sportsbook advertising is under review, and a draft decree proposes to relax some rules for a single, licensed operator on a trial basis.
| Channel | Status | Vertical & Platform Split (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Google Search Ads | Banned | Google's Gambling and Games policy prohibits advertising for both online and offline gambling in Vietnam. As of March 2026, all gambling advertisers in permitted jurisdictions must meet stricter “Good Policy Health” requirements, which makes any future market entry highly regulated.1314 |
| App Store Publishing | Banned | Real-money gambling apps are not permitted on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store in Vietnam. Decree 147/2024/ND-CP mandates that foreign app stores must remove any applications violating Vietnamese law upon request from authorities.151617 |
| Google/Apple App Store Ads | Banned | As real-money gambling apps cannot be published in Vietnam on either the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, they are subsequently ineligible for promotion. Advertising policies on both platforms prohibit the promotion of illegal products or services.1819 |
| Meta (FB/IG) | Banned | Meta's advertising policies list Vietnam as a country where gambling promotions are not allowed, meaning operators cannot apply for the “Prior Written Permission” required to run such ads. The company has taken legal action against advertisers using cloaking techniques.2021 |
| TV & Radio | Banned | Vietnam's Law on Advertising prohibits the promotion of banned goods and services, which includes all forms of unlicensed gambling. The amended Law on Advertising, effective Jan 1, 2026, further tightens rules with no specific provisions to allow for gambling advertisements.2223 |
| Sponsorships | Banned | Sponsorships of sports teams, stadiums, or naming rights by online casino or sportsbook operators are illegal under the comprehensive ban on advertising for prohibited services. The draft decree on sports betting does not currently include provisions for such marketing activities.2425 |
| Digital OOH | Banned | All forms of advertising for illegal gambling, including digital billboards and transit ads, are prohibited. The amended Law on Advertising (2025) imposes strict rules on all digital advertising, requiring mechanisms for the removal of illegal content within 24 hours.2627 |
Channel rules for Vietnam reflect each platform's published policy and the sources numbered in each row (listed under Methodology & sources). Verify with the local regulator and your ad-platform account manager before launching.
How Vietnam enforces against unlicensed operators
Enforcement against unlicensed gambling in Vietnam is aggressive. The Ministry of Public Security actively pursues and dismantles large-scale illegal online gambling rings, often involving cross-border operations. Actions include criminal prosecutions, ISP blocking, and disrupting payment channels.
- Ongoing: The Ministry of Public Security routinely conducts raids and makes arrests related to major online gambling rings, with some cases involving transactions worth billions of dollars.
- December 2024: The implementation of Decree 147 gave authorities a stronger legal tool to compel foreign app stores to remove illegal gambling applications. This signals a move towards more stringent technical enforcement.
- Continuous: The government actively blocks the IP addresses of offshore gambling sites and monitors electronic payments to unauthorized platforms.
Enforcement cases in Vietnam: 5 recent
Material regulator actions, court rulings, and high-profile fines from 2016–2026 against operators serving Vietnam. Each entry includes the technical failure and a one-line read-across for other operators in the market.
- November 2025
King Club (Pullman Hotel)
Grey-MarketCriminal proceedingsA licensed casino for foreigners was found to be facilitating illegal gambling for Vietnamese citizens by issuing them membership cards with fake foreign names, leading to a major trial involving over 140 people and wagers exceeding $106 million.
Read-across: This case shows that even licensed entities for foreigners are under scrutiny for any activities that enable gambling by locals. It reflects strict enforcement of the ban on local gambling outside of the now-suspended pilot program.
- September 2025
Unnamed Transnational Online Gambling Ring
Grey-MarketCriminal proceedingsThe criminal group operated a cross-border online gambling and cryptocurrency scheme with transactions totaling over US$3.8 billion.
Read-across: This high-profile case shows a significant focus by Vietnamese law enforcement on dismantling large-scale illegal online gambling networks, particularly those that use cryptocurrencies. It indicates a high risk for offshore operators targeting the market.
- January 2025
Unnamed Money Laundering and Online Gambling Network
AMLArrests and criminal investigationA sophisticated criminal group, including bank employees, established 187 fake businesses and 600 corporate bank accounts to launder approximately $1.2 billion from offshore gambling and fraud between 2022 and 2024.
Read-across: The dismantling of this major money laundering operation shows that the authorities are increasingly able to track and disrupt complex financial crimes linked to online gambling. This raises the risk for operators and payment processors that facilitate transactions from Vietnam.
- 31 Dec 2024
Corona Resort & Casino
LicensingMarket exit (for local players)The Vietnamese government suspended the pilot program that permitted Vietnamese citizens to gamble at designated casinos, citing the need to reassess the program's social and economic impacts.
Read-across: The suspension of the local-play pilot program signals a significant shift in government policy. It creates uncertainty for operators who were banking on the expansion of the domestic market and potentially deters future investment.
- December 2024
Offshore Online Gaming Operators
LicensingNew regulatory requirementsThe issuance of Decree 147/2024/ND-CP imposes stricter controls on online games, including a ban on casino-style and card-based games, and requires foreign app store providers to remove unlicensed gambling apps upon request from Vietnamese authorities.
Read-across: This decree significantly increases the compliance burden and legal risk for offshore operators and platforms that distribute gambling-related content in Vietnam. It signals a move towards more stringent control of the online space.
Market size: 1.9B USD (2025)
Gross gaming revenue in Vietnam is approximately 1.9 billion USD annually. The most popular form of gambling is Lottery. Online gambling represents 0% of total GGR. A culturally distinctive product in this market is Vietlott (state lottery), Bầu Cua Cá Cọp (traditional dice game).
Market breakdown by vertical
- Land-based0.095B USD5.0%
- Sports betting0.855B USD45.0%
- Casino0.19B USD10.0%
- Lottery0.76B USD40.0%
Source: Research & Markets Gambling Report 2026. Splits: online-casino 10.0%, sports 45.0%, land-based 5.0%, lottery 40.0%.
GGR figure28
Licensed operators: ~9
As of 18 Jun 2026, approximately 9 operators hold an active licence in Vietnam. Size your entry against this base before committing capital.
Notable licensed operators
Corona Resort & Casino
The Grand Ho Tram Strip
Hoiana Resort & Golf
Aristo International Hotel & Casino
Traps operators hit in Vietnam
Specific operational risks that have caught new entrants in this market. Each item is country-specific. Generic gambling-ops issues (KYC, RG tools) are not included unless they have a local twist.
Assuming Foreign Licences Offer Any Protection
A common myth is that a licence from jurisdictions like Curaçao provides legitimacy. This is false. Vietnamese law makes no distinction; all unlicensed online operators are considered illegal and operating them carries significant criminal risk, including prosecution and imprisonment.
Sources29
Underestimating the 'Pilot Scheme' Limitation
Market entry is not a standard licensing process but a slow, politically sensitive 'pilot' scheme. These pilots, for sports betting and local casino access, can be suspended, altered, or terminated with little notice, which creates extreme regulatory uncertainty for investors who have committed billions in capital.
Sources6
Circumventing the Ban on Local Play
Any attempt by a licensed land-based casino (for foreigners) to facilitate gambling for unauthorized Vietnamese citizens is met with severe penalties. This includes schemes involving fake foreign identities. The risk of licence revocation and criminal charges is substantial.
Sources2
Timeline: rules in force
- December 2024
Decree 147 Bans Online Casino Games
Decree 147/2024/ND-CP took effect. It explicitly banned online casino and card games and created mechanisms to force app stores to remove illegal gambling content.
Source: 5
- 2019
Local Casino Pilot Begins
The first casino under the local-play pilot, Corona Resort & Casino in Phú Quốc, began admitting qualified Vietnamese citizens.
Source: 7
- 2017
Foundational Decrees Enacted
Decree 03/2017/ND-CP established the framework for casinos (including the US$2B investment rule) and Decree 06/2017/ND-CP created the pilot for sports betting.
Source: 3
Operator myths vs reality in Vietnam
Common assumptions about gambling licensing that turn out to be wrong in practice.
- MythVietnam is opening up an online licensing regime.Reality
This is incorrect. Vietnam's approach is not toward open licensing but toward extremely limited, state-controlled pilot programs. The new sports betting decree, for instance, is expected to license only one to three operators for a trial period. Online casinos remain strictly banned.
Sources30
- MythThe main barrier to entry is the licence fee.Reality
There is no standard 'licence fee.' The primary barrier is the US$2 billion minimum capital investment required to build an integrated resort, which is a prerequisite for a casino licence.
Sources3
- MythThe local casino pilot program signals a full market opening for citizens.Reality
The pilot program is a limited, reversible experiment, not a permanent policy. It is subject to constant government review of its social impact, and its future expansion is highly uncertain.
Sources2
Markets that work like Vietnam
Compared on what our records hold for each country: whether online casino, betting, poker and lottery are licensed, state-run or banned, the licensing model, what the operator tax is levied on and its band, how most advertising channels are treated, and how foreign licences are treated. A point we hold for only one of the two countries counts for nothing.
- CambodiaAI overviewPalauAI overview
Online casino, betting and poker banned; licensed market; tax on GGR; most ad channels banned; foreign licences mostly banned.
- SyriaAI overview
Online casino, betting and poker banned; lottery limited; licensed market; most ad channels banned; foreign licences mostly banned.
- MalaysiaAI overview
Online casino, betting and poker banned; licensed market; most ad channels banned; foreign licences mostly banned.
- EgyptAI overview
Online casino, betting and poker banned; lottery limited; licensed market; most ad channels banned.
Methodology & sources
This page is a Quick AI overview: a summary of public information, not yet checked against the law or the regulator. Treat it as a starting point. It has not yet been through our Deep AI Scan.
How we researchAsk us to run the Deep AI Scan for Vietnam
Documents cited on this page
- 1Vietnam Weighs New Rules for Betting
- 2Gambling Regulations in Vietnam
- 3Guide to Casino Regulations in Vietnam 2024
- 4Procedures for issuance of a certificate of eligibility for casino business
- 5Decree 147 Tightens Online Gaming Regulations
- 6Vietnam Proposes Five-Year Trial for Football Betting
- 7Gambling in Vietnam - Wikipedia
- 8VietnamNet on Online Gaming Rules
- 9VietnamNet on Ad Violations
- 10Digital Policy Alert on Blacklist
- 11VietnamNet on Gambling Network
- 12iGamingBusiness on Money Laundering
- 13Google Ads Gambling and Games Certification Update
- 14Search Engine Roundtable
- 15Google Play Real-Money Gambling, Games, and Contests Policy
- 16Apple App Store Review Guideline 5.3
- 17VietNamNet
- 18Google Ads Policy - Gambling and games
- 19Apple Advertising Policies
- 20Meta Advertising Policy - Gambling
- 21SBC News
- 22Law on Advertising 16/2012/QH13
- 23Tilleke & Gibbins
- 24iGamingToday
- 25Gambling Insider
- 26Law No. 75/2025/QH15 - Amended Law on Advertising
- 27VietNamNet
- 28Research & Markets Gambling Report 2026
- 29Legal liability for foreigners gambling in Vietnam
- 30Vietnam to Trial Single Operator Football Betting Scheme
Looking for the player guide?
For consumer-facing information about gambling in Vietnam (tax on winnings, where to play legally, self-exclusion options), see the Vietnam player guide.
Disclaimer. This page reflects the law as we understood it on 18 Jun 2026. Rules change: always check the current position with Ministry of Finance (Bộ Tài chính). We are not a legal adviser.