Nghe An provincial police dismantled a gambling and money laundering ring that moved thousands of billions of dong each month, and prosecuted and detained Dau Trong Giap, a resident of Yen Thanh district in Nghe An province, described as the head of the operation1. The action took place in April, according to a Tuoi Tre Online report published on August 11, 20251.
The report places the case among a series of online gambling and money laundering rings worth thousands of billions of dong that police have uncovered, prosecuted and investigated in recent times1. It notes that many people, although aware that gambling in any form is prohibited under Vietnamese law, still spend money trying their luck online through betting websites, online gambling and games such as tai xiu1.
The Nghe An case is cited in a wider article about a draft decree on casino business from the Ministry of Finance, which proposes allowing Vietnamese citizens to gamble in casinos nationwide1.
At present, only Phu Quoc casino in An Giang is permitted to admit Vietnamese players on a pilot basis under a Politburo resolution, the report says1. It adds that Vietnam has three types of casino: gaming rooms in 4-5 star hotels, small-scale casinos, and resort-entertainment complexes with casino business, with seven small licensed casinos and a number of resort complexes1. Vietnam still has no dedicated agency managing casino business, according to the report1.
"Công an tỉnh Nghệ An đã phá đường dây đánh bạc, rửa tiền hàng ngàn tỉ đồng mỗi tháng, khởi tố và bắt giam Đậu Trọng Giáp"
What it means for players
The Nghe An case concerns an alleged online gambling and money laundering network, not a licensed venue, and the report gives no detail on how players were recruited, what sites were used or whether individual bettors face charges1. In Vietnam, gambling outside permitted forms is prohibited, and the report states that many people gamble online despite knowing this1. The draft decree under discussion concerns land-based casinos and would set age, ticket, currency and self-exclusion conditions for Vietnamese citizens if adopted; it does not address online betting1. For visitors and expats, the report does not set out separate rules, and no information on how foreign players would be treated under the draft has been reported1.
What happens next
The draft decree on casino business is with the Ministry of Finance and proposes a pilot allowing Vietnamese citizens to play in casinos nationwide for three to five years, according to economist Ha Ton Vinh, who is quoted recommending that approach1. The report does not state when the decree will be issued or when a decision on the Nghe An case will follow1.
