You are using an outdated browser and your browsing experience will not be optimal. Please update to the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Install Microsoft Edge

November 28, 2025

New Developments in Vietnam’s Casino Policies for Local Gamblers

Subscribe to Updates

On November 26, 2025, the government of Vietnam issued Resolution No. 8/2025/NQ-CP to extend and expand the pilot program allowing Vietnamese citizens who meet certain conditions to gamble at three integrated casino resorts in Vietnam:

  • Corona Resorts & Casino Phu Quoc (An Giang Province) – Effective immediately, and continuing an ongoing pilot program that started in 2019.
  • The Grand Casino Ho Tram (Ho Chi Minh City) – New pilot program for five years starting November 26, 2025.
  • Van Don Integrated Casino & Tourism Complex (Quang Ninh Province) – New pilot program for five years from the date the casino receives its license.

The pilot program was originally established under Decree No. 03/2017/ND-CP on casino business, which also sets out the specific eligibility conditions for Vietnamese citizens. After the pilot period, these projects must stop allowing Vietnamese players until the government issues further decisions.

This expansion of the pilot program comes after Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance (MOF) released a draft decree earlier this year proposing significant changes to the regulatory framework governing casino operations. These revisions, which focus on increasing fiscal contributions from local players and strengthening compliance obligations for casino operators nationwide, are detailed below.

Proposed Increase in Casino Entry Fees for Vietnamese Players

The draft decree increases the entry fees applicable to Vietnamese citizens permitted to play at casinos. Under the current regulations, Vietnamese players are required to pay an entry fee of VND 1 million (approx. USD 38) for 24 consecutive hours or VND 25 million (approx. USD 950) per month. The draft decree proposes increasing these fees to VND 2.5 million (approx. USD 95) for 24 consecutive hours and VND 50 million (approx. USD 1,900) per month, effectively doubling the existing amounts and marking the first major fee revision since the pilot program allowing Vietnamese players was introduced in 2017.

According to the government’s explanatory report, one of the purposes of this increase is to serve as a simplified mechanism for assessing players’ financial capacity, replacing the previously burdensome income-verification process and aligning with international practices. All revenue generated from these entry fees must be remitted to the provincial budget and will be allocated primarily to education, vocational training, healthcare, and other public welfare programs, with at least 60% designated for these priority sectors.

Strengthened Management and Compliance Requirements for Casino Operators

The draft decree also tightens the operational and compliance framework for casinos. Casino operators will be required to maintain customer identification records, entry logs, and transaction information for a minimum of five years to support any potential inspection or enforcement actions.

Casinos must also operate a continuous 24/7 surveillance system covering all critical areas and retain security footage for at least 180 days, with longer periods required if requested by authorities. Notably, operators must also implement backup storage measures to ensure uninterrupted retention of surveillance footage for the required period, even in cases of equipment failure.

Outlook

The draft decree, if adopted, will establish a more stringent regulatory environment for casino operators while providing clearer guidance for future investments in integrated resort developments, continuing Vietnam’s cautious and controlled liberalization of casino access for locals. Existing operators and prospective investors should begin reviewing their compliance systems, internal controls, and development plans to prepare for the forthcoming regulatory changes.

Related Professionals

Practices

Corporate/M&A

Real Estate

Location

RELATED INSIGHTS​ 

March 11, 2024
Tilleke & Gibbins is pleased to announce the release of Company Directors in Thailand: Guidelines and Q&A on Duties and Liability. This publication is a go-to resource for prospective and existing company directors who need to understand the duties and liabilities that come with assuming this important corporate role. Authored by Kobkit Thienpreecha, partner and director of the firm’s corporate and commercial department, Company Directors in Thailand provides key information topics essential for companies and their directors to know as they engage in the Thailand market. In the guide, Kobkit, who regularly leads training sessions on directors’ liability for directors at many of the top companies in Thailand, gives an overview of directors’ role and responsibilities as well as the civil and criminal liabilities they could potentially face. This is followed by a Q&A section that directors frequently ask regarding their liability and the legal actions that could be brought against them. The full guide can be downloaded as a PDF through the button below.
Read More
February 28, 2024
Experts on real estate law from Tilleke & Gibbins provided the chapter on Vietnam for Practical Law’s Commercial Real Estate Global Guide 2024, a comparative jurisdictional guide in Q&A format giving a a high-level overview of real estate investment structures, restrictions on foreign ownership, and other important issues of real estate law. The main topics include the following: Real estate investment Title to real estate Sale of real estate Real estate tax Real estate finance Real estate leases Planning and development controls To read the Vietnam chapter, please visit the Practical Law website and enroll in the free Practical Law trial to gain full access.
Read More
February 28, 2024
On February 1, 2024, Laos’ Decree on Condominiums No. 352/GOV took effect. This decree expands on the Law on Land (2019), which introduced the concept of condominiums into the Lao regulatory framework and opened the possibility for foreigners to own apartment units (redefined as “condominium units”—see below). The Law on Land revolutionized concepts of property ownership and investment in a country where foreign ownership is still uncommon. The recent Decree on Condominiums elaborates on the law by clarifying definitions, outlining procedures for acquiring a unit, setting requirements for operating a condominium business in Laos, and addressing issues related to ownership of condominiums. Definitions Condominium: The Decree on Condominiums defines a condominium as a multistory building containing several units and various facilities. The construction must be on a parcel of land registered as “condominium land.” The units composing the condominium can be sold or assigned to domestic and foreign individuals, legal entities, or organizations. Unit: This refers to any of the units that compose the condominium and whose ownership can be by Lao or foreign individuals, legal entities, or organizations. The decree classifies units into three categories: Residential units for living in; Office units for working spaces for enterprises; and Commercial and service units that serve as a trade or service center, such as for department stores, restaurants, fitness centers, and so on. Unit owners must register the unit in accordance with its specific purpose, which must be in line with any applicable urban planning restrictions on certain types of units. Apartment building: This is a building composed of several floors and rooms that cannot be sold to Lao or foreign nationals. According to the Decree on Condominiums, rooms composing the apartment building can only be offered for rent by the owner. This is the main difference between “condominium” and
Read More
February 23, 2024
The newly released Licensing 2024 guide, published by Lexology Panoramic, features a chapter on Vietnam by four licensing specialists from Tilleke & Gibbins. The comparative guide provides companies and other interested readers with information on licensing law and practice in various countries around the world. Licensing 2024 provides detailed information on the following topics: Restrictions, laws and licensing arrangements Intellectual property issues: Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, contesting the validity of licensor’s IP rights, invalidity and expiry of IP rights, security interests, proceedings against third parties, sublicensing, jointly owned IP, first to file, scope of patent protection, trade secrets, copyright Software licensing: Perpetual licensing, legal requirements, user restrictions Royalties and payments, currency conversion, and taxes: Relevant legislation, restrictions, taxation of foreign licensors Competition law issues: Restrictions on trade, legal restrictions, and IP-related court rulings Indemnification, disclaimers, and damages: Prevalence and enforceability of indemnity provisions and contractual waivers of damages Termination: Right to terminate, impact of termination Bankruptcy: Impact of licensee or licensor bankruptcy Dispute resolution: Governing law, arbitration, enforceability, injunctive relief, contractual waivers The Vietnam chapter was authored by Linh Thi Mai Nguyen, partner and head of Tilleke & Gibbins’ trademark team in Vietnam; Son Thai Hoang, trademark executive; and Chi Lan Dang, associate, of Tilleke & Gibbins’ trademark team, along with corporate and commercial senior associate Tu Ngoc Trinh, who has extensive experience in franchising and competition law. The Vietnam chapter is available below as a PDF. Tilleke & Gibbins also contributed the Thailand chapter to Licensing 2024. Readers can gain 30 days of complementary access to the full Licensing 2024 guide and the rest of Lexology Panoramic’s varied offerings through this link.
Read More