The Investigation Security Agency of Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security issued Supplementary Indictment Conclusion No. 11/BKL-ANDT-P4 on May 29, 2025, proposing the prosecution of 141 defendants on charges of "organizing gambling" and "gambling"1. The charges fall under clause 2 of Article 322 and clause 2 of Article 321 of the 2015 Penal Code, as amended in 20171. The case concerns activity in Hanoi and other provinces and cities1.
The agency also issued wanted notices on the same date for four defendants it says have fled1. It called on them to surrender to the nearest police office or people's procuracy to receive the state's leniency policy and to exercise their right to defense under Article 60 of the 2015 Criminal Procedure Code1. It said that if they continue to flee, it will treat this as abandoning their right to defense and they will be proposed for prosecution and trial under the law1.
The four wanted defendants are1:
| Name | Born | Wanted notice |
|---|---|---|
| Phí Đức Giang, male | January 5, 1974, in Bắc Ninh | No. 799/QĐTN-ANĐT-P4, May 29, 2025 |
| Nguyễn Thị Nguyên, female | July 19, 1979, in Hà Nam | No. 798/QĐ-ANDT-P4, May 29, 2025 |
| Lê Văn Thành, male | September 17, 1987, in Hà Nội | No. 797/QĐTN-ANĐT-P4, May 29, 2025 |
| Vũ Thanh Tùng, male | November 21, 1981, in Hà Nam | No. 800/QĐ-ANDT-P4, May 29, 2025 |
The notice lists prior records for three of the four. Phí Đức Giang's record is listed as none1.
The announcement does not state the amounts wagered, the number of gambling venues, or the total value involved in the case. Those details have not been reported1.
What it means for players
Gambling is tightly restricted in Vietnam, and the charges here are the serious ones: "organizing gambling" under Article 322 and "gambling" under Article 321 of the Penal Code, both at clause 21. The scale of the case, with 141 people proposed for prosecution, shows that police treat large betting operations as a criminal matter rather than a regulatory one. For locals, expats and visitors, the practical point is that participating in an unlicensed betting operation can expose a person to criminal liability, not just an administrative fine. The prior records listed for the wanted defendants include both administrative penalties and prison and suspended sentences for gambling offenses1. Anyone weighing where and how they gamble in Vietnam can read the country's legal position in the Vietnam guide and compare it with the wider region in Gambling Laws in Asia.
What happens next
The four wanted defendants have been asked to surrender to the nearest police office or people's procuracy1. The agency said that if they keep fleeing, it will consider them to have given up their right to defense and will propose them for prosecution and trial1. No trial date or court has been announced1.
