Vietnam's Ministry of Finance has submitted a proposal to the Government Party Caucus asking the Politburo to extend the pilot scheme that allows Vietnamese citizens to enter the casino at Phu Quoc until the end of 2024, instead of letting it lapse at the end of this year1. Deputy Finance Minister Nguyen Duc Chi confirmed the submission to Tuoi Tre, saying it covers several matters related to the management of casino operations in Vietnam1.
The pilot began under a 2016 Politburo decision that permitted Vietnamese citizens to enter casinos in Phu Quoc and Van Don for three years2. Only the Phu Quoc casino was operating at the time, having begun business in early January 2019, so under Decree No. 03/2017/ND-CP the pilot was due to run until January 20222. Politburo Notice 16 set the end of this year as the close of the three-year Phu Quoc pilot1.
The ministry's case rests on the pandemic. Deputy Minister Chi said COVID-19 broke out over the past two years and heavily affected tourism, accommodation and casino businesses; during social distancing, foreign visitors could not enter Vietnam and Vietnamese residents were not allowed on the streets without necessity, making casino operations extremely difficult1. The ministry said the short initial pilot did not produce the desired results2.
Figures cited for the Phu Quoc casino cover 2019 to 20211:
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Vietnamese share of visits | More than 65%, mostly small players on day tickets |
| Revenue from tickets sold to Vietnamese | VND 141 billion |
| Budget payments including Vietnamese ticket sales | More than VND 236 billion |
| Jobs | 32 foreign workers |
Nine casino projects were operating nationwide: six small ones at Do Son (Hai Phong), Loi Lai, Hoang Gia and Hong Van Hotel (Quang Ninh), International Hotel (Lao Cai) and Silver Shores (Da Nang), and three large ones at Nam Hoi An (Quang Nam), Ho Tram (Ba Ria - Vung Tau) and Phu Quoc (Kien Giang)3.
"The ministry explained that the COVID-19 pandemic had severely affected casino business performance, meaning the short initial pilot period did not produce the desired results."
Players may not use cash and must convert to tokens, chips or cards1.
What it means for players
Vietnamese citizens can currently enter only the Phu Quoc casino, and only while the pilot lasts3. If the extension is not granted, that access ends when the pilot period closes, and the casino must stop admitting Vietnamese citizens until the Government issues a decree either ending or continuing permission3. Ba Ria - Vung Tau province asked in December 2021 for Vietnamese citizens to be allowed into the Ho Tram casino as well, and the operator has sought permission since 2017, but the Politburo has only authorized the Phu Quoc and Van Don pilots and is still evaluating them, so Ho Tram has not been considered1. Foreign passport holders are not covered by these pilot rules. Details on who may enter are set out in Can Vietnamese Citizens Enter a Casino? and Casinos in Vietnam: Who Can Go In.
What happens next
The proposal now sits with the Government Party Caucus, which would forward it to the Politburo; no decision has been reported1. The Van Don pilot's three-year clock starts only when that casino begins operations, and it was not yet open3.
