Government expands casino access policy for eligible Vietnamese citizens
VOV.VN - The Government has issued a resolution allowing eligible Vietnamese citizens to enter and play at certain casino projects in the country.
Under the Resolution No. 8/2025/NQ-CP dated November 26, the pilot programme permitting qualified Vietnamese to gamble will apply at the Ho Tram casino project in Ho Chi Minh City for a period of five years starting November 26, 2025, and at the Van Don casino project in Quang Ninh Province for five years from the date the project receives a Certificate of Eligibility for Casino Business.
The resolution specifies that the management of eligible Vietnamese gamblers, as well as the operation and supervision of casino business activities at these projects, must comply with the Government’s Decree No. 03 issued in 2017 or any subsequent amendments.
When the pilot period ends, both the Ho Tram and Van Don projects must suspend access for Vietnamese players until a final decision is made by the competent authorities under the laws governing casino business.
The resolution takes effect on November 26, 2025. Casino operators are required to ensure strict management of eligible Vietnamese gamblers and full compliance with all legal regulations related to casino business activities.
The new policy follows a longer history of controlled experiments allowing Vietnamese citizens to enter casinos.
In 2016, the Politburo approved a three-year pilot programme permitting Vietnamese gamblers at casinos in Phu Quoc and Van Don. At that time, only the Phu Quoc casino became operational, beginning business in January 2019.
In 2022, the Ministry of Finance proposed extending the pilot for Phu Quoc by an additional two years, citing the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which hindered casino operations and limited the pilot programme’s results.
In May 2024, the Politburo agreed to extend the pilot for Vietnamese gamblers at the Phu Quoc project until the end of 2024, while setting a three-year pilot period for the Van Don project starting from the date casino business operations commence.
To formalise this extension, the Government issued Decree No. 145 in November 2024, amending the pilot timeline. The decree stipulates that the initial casino enterprise approved for the pilot programme may allow Vietnamese gamblers until December 31, 2024, while any additional casino projects permitted to pilot the policy may do so for three years from the date they receive a Certificate of Eligibility for Casino Business.
Once each pilot period concludes, the enterprises must halt access for Vietnamese gamblers until the Government issues a regulation determining whether the policy will be terminated or continued.
Sun Group selected as official investor for US$2-billion mega integrated casino
The People’s Committee of Quang Ninh province on August 15 issued Decision No. 3226/QD-UBND, approving Sun Van Don Joint Stock Company – a member of Sun Group – as the investor to implement the Van Don Integrated Casino & Tourism Complex – the piloting casino complex for Vietnamese.
