Vietnam's Ministry of Finance recently proposed a significant reform: local residents who wish to enter casinos will need to pay a higher entrance fee and will no longer need to submit income proof. This proposal has attracted widespread attention in the industry and is seen as a key turning point in Vietnam's local gambling policy.
According to the plan announced on August 6, 2025, the daily ticket for casinos will increase from the original 1.25 million Vietnamese dong to 2.5 million dong (about 95 USD), and the monthly ticket will skyrocket to 50 million dong (about 1900 USD), an increase of 2 to 2.5 times the original standard. At the same time, the current requirement for gamblers to show income proof will be abolished.
Currently, Vietnam only allows locals to legally gamble at the Corona Casino on Phu Quoc Island, and this proposal is part of an expansion of the pilot program. If progress goes smoothly, this mechanism is expected to be promoted to emerging casino projects such as the Yuntun Economic Zone in Guangning Province. The Yuntun project has been approved by the government, and once it reaches the investment threshold of 2 billion USD, it will obtain an operating license for up to 70 years, seen by outsiders as an important strategic layout for Vietnam to rival Macau and the Philippines.
The Ministry of Finance stated that the past income review process was "too cumbersome," especially for occasional gamblers, the threshold was too high. The new rule replaces the complex review with high entrance fees, simplifying the process while naturally filtering out high-spending groups and reducing the proportion of risk customers.
To ensure regulation, the proposal also requires casinos to keep customer data for at least five years, facilitating future tax and anti-money laundering audits. This also shows that while Vietnam is relaxing restrictions, it still emphasizes control and tracking of capital flows.
Analysts point out that this move may attract more local middle and high-income groups into legal gambling channels, while increasing casino revenue, helping Vietnam to create a "controllable, transparent, and revenue-generating" local gambling market. However, the high entrance fees have also raised questions among some people, who believe that this will make gambling an "exclusive entertainment for the rich."
Vietnam's gambling policy is in a strategic adjustment period. If this proposal is passed, it will mark Vietnam's official move towards a "high threshold, light review" local gambling regulatory model, potentially opening a new chapter in the development of its casino economy.
