- January 05, 2023
Vietnam Gaming Market Industry
Vietnam is a Southeast Asian country wherein gambling is illegal as well. However, not all forms of gambling games are illegal in Vietnam. Lottery, casinos, and sports betting are the only gambling games that the government regulates. Therefore, they are legal to operate in the country. Some gambling games are allowed to be played by Vietnamese who are of legal age; other games are only allowed to be played by foreigners under most circumstances. As a result, more and more Vietnamese opt for online gambling as they can play any gambling games they want without any restrictions. Today, we will talk about the history and current situation of both physical and online gambling in Vietnam.
The first known activity similar to gambling in Vietnam happened somewhere in the 1940s. It was during that time that housewives used to lose money because they kept on betting on the days they felt like their horoscope was lucky or fortunate. However, just like in any other Southeast Asian country, gambling has been illegal in Vietnam right from the start. The only gambling game that was legal in the country was the state lottery. In fact, the lottery was popular among the locals and has served as a pastime for a lot of people. The lottery game has always been monitored and regulated by the government. Hence, the name “state lottery.” Therefore, it is legal to sell lottery tickets. Back then, the lottery ticket only cost about VND 1,000 (USD 0.043). Now, the lottery ticket costs around VND 10,000 (USD 0.43) due to its popularity.
Regulation of the Gaming Market Industry in Vietnam
Gambling in Vietnam is still illegal up until now. However, the government is starting to regulate the market to prevent people from gambling underground. As previously mentioned, only the state lottery was legal in Vietnam. But in 2017, the government started legalizing some gambling activities. The local games of chance were legalized in the country in 2017. Business owners were allowed to open and operate their own casinos.
As a result, there are many physical casinos in Vietnam right now. These casinos operate in hotels and resorts and are regulated by the government. The biggest casino in Vietnam is the Grand Ho Tram Resort Casino. However, only foreign passport holders are allowed to gamble in these casinos. Additionally, they must be at least 21 years old, have a monthly income of VND 10 million (USD 425), and have no criminal record. In some cases, local casinos allow the locals to enter the establishment. However, they are only allowed to do so if their investment capital is around VND 47,000,000 (USD 2 million). But it doesn’t end there. The person wanting to enter the casinos must have permission or agreement with their family, and they must pay a 1-day entry tax of VND 1 million (USD 42) or a 1-month pass of VND 25 million (USD 1,064)
Not only casinos are now allowed in Vietnam. In the same year, the government also planned to legalize sports betting in the state. As a result, a bill legalizing sports betting monitored and regulated by the government was passed in 2018. In addition, there was also a 2017 decree that legalized betting on international football games, horse races, and greyhound races. Therefore, only state lotteries, casinos in hotels and resorts, and sports betting are allowed in Vietnam as of this year.
Online Gambling In Vietnam
Even operating online gambling is not allowed in Vietnam. It has not been regulated by the government yet. However, it has been currently gaining popularity among the locals. It is the only way they could gamble besides going overseas to gamble legally in other countries like Cambodia. It is popular among Vietnamese because the government does not go after online gamblers but only punishes those operating online gambling platforms. It is because it is very hard for them to know the identity of online gamblers, as they can easily use VPN to hide their identities. It is a more convenient way of gambling for Vietnamese instead of spending more on traveling abroad, where gambling is legal.
Additionally, online gambling casinos offer bonuses to their players, meaning they can win more money than they anticipated. Vietnamese would not need to worry about getting their prizes as most online casinos support e-wallets and direct bank transfers. E-wallets such as Paypal, Skrill, Neteller, and Paysafe are just a few of the options that online gamblers can use. Regarding direct bank transfers, online gambling operators use common names to avoid raising suspicion. This makes their transaction secure and trustworthy. Not only that, Vietnamese can enjoy gambling in the comfort of their home just by using their mobile phones, and they can choose from a wide range of games that are popular in different countries.
As a result, Vietnam ranked second in the Southeast Asian market with its mobile game downloads, according to the analysis of the Vietnam online gambling platform market. Moreover, the country ranked 15th in the world in terms of smartphone units sold. There are around 68 million smartphone users in Vietnam, and most of them use their mobile phones to play mobile games for at least 3.9 hours a day.
Gambling Games Vietnamese Love to Play
Despite gambling, in general, being illegal in Vietnam, there are still popular gambling games that Vietnamese love to play. Below are the popular gambling games in Vietnam.
Lottery
Lottery has been the most popular and favorite gambling game of Vietnamese for decades. The selling of lottery tickets in the country has been prevalent because the government regulates it. Thus, it is legal to sell a ticket. It can be seen in tourist spots, streets, and alleys in Vietnam. There are many types of lottery games that people can choose to play. These types are Traditional, Instant, Digital, Vietlott, and Lotto-type Lottery Ticket.
Poker
Poker, just like in any other country, is popular in Vietnam as well. There are different types of Poker games that can be played. These are Omaha Poker, Texas Hold’em, Seven Card Studs, Paigow, and Five Card Draw.
Color Disc
Color Disc is another classic gambling game in Vietnam. The origin of the Vietnamese color disc game started way back in 1909 or earlier. Vietnamese would play this game at home just by using tableware like a bowl and a plate, and two-color buttons. Later on, the game became popular in the country in 2021.
Baccarat
Baccarat is also popular in Vietnam. The “Player” competes with the “Banker” in hopes of getting cards whose sum is closest to 9 points.
Fish, Shrimp, Crab
Fish, Shrimp, Crab is a folk gambling game in Vietnam. It is known as Pao Crab Fish Tiger in Vietnam and is one of the most popular games in the country. The origin of the fish, shrimp, crab game is from the people in Southern China. It is popular among Vietnamese people, especially during the Spring Festival. Almost every household in Vietnam will play the game of fish, shrimp, and crab as a New Year's entertainment game.
Operating A Gambling Platform for Vietnamese Users
As the years go by, Vietnamese government is starting to regulate more and more gambling games in Vietnam. At first, only the lottery was legal in the country. Now, people can operate casinos and sports betting. Still, gambling, in general, is illegal in Vietnam, and most of the time, only foreigners are allowed to gamble, especially in casinos. Therefore, the Vietnamese resort to online gambling as a result. It is more convenient and secure than taking the risk of gambling underground or traveling overseas just to gamble. In fact, the number of users in online gambling platforms increased by more than 50% in 2020. It just goes to show the online gaming industry in Vietnam is expanding. Despite the law banning gambling in Vietnam, locals are not being stopped by this law.
As a result, TC-GAMING offers its Southeast Asia Package Network. Vietnam is one of the countries where TC-GAMING provides its services. With its Vietnam White Label, hopeful businessmen can open their stations within just 10 minutes. Additionally, the package network provides a number of Vietnamese-exclusive templates and Vietnamese language support, making the online gambling platform more secure and the best option for users, especially Vietnamese, than going to a physical casino. With 15 years of experience in the White Label market, TC-GAMING can provide the most popular games for users in Vietnam's online gambling market. Additionally, we offer the most comprehensive data analysis and stable platform system, allowing you to grasp platform operation quickly. Moreover, you can count on our professional team to be available 24/7. TC-GAMING is the most convenient and dependable way for you to enter the online gambling platform market in Vietnam!