Finance ministry proposes higher casino entry fees for Vietnamese citizens

Vietnam's Ministry of Finance has proposed allowing Vietnamese citizens to enter casinos if they buy an entry ticket, under a draft decree on casino business that is open for public feedback. The ministry suggests ticket prices of VNĐ2.5 million (US$95.32) per day or VNĐ50 million ($1,906) per month for Vietnamese players¹. The draft would replace Decree No. 03/2017/NĐ-CP³.

The ministry said the current requirement to prove financial eligibility involves cumbersome paperwork that creates difficulties for both players and casino operators, and that this discourages legitimate domestic players who often gamble abroad where procedures are simpler¹. It views higher ticket prices as a way to assess financial ability while simplifying entry procedures¹. Vietnamese state media reported the proposed daily rate is about 2.5 times the current level and the monthly rate about twice the current level⁴.

Under the draft, Vietnamese nationals must be at least 21 years old, possess full legal capacity and comply with other casino regulations¹. They may only use Vietnamese đồng to exchange for casino chips, which must be reconverted into đồng if unused¹. Players must bear full legal responsibility for documents presented at entry¹. Licensed casinos in the pilot must verify, review and keep player records for at least five years, separately account for ticket revenue, report the number of Vietnamese entrants and deposit ticket sales into State Treasury accounts¹.

The draft also requires casino projects seeking a license to sit within an integrated resort complex combining tourism, services and entertainment with minimum capital of $2 billion¹. Operators must install around-the-clock surveillance cameras in all functional areas, including entrances, gaming floors, vaults, cashiers and money-handling zones, and retain footage for at least 180 days¹. All players, Vietnamese and foreign, would be issued electronic ID cards containing personal details, access permissions and expiry dates¹. The draft lists 18 prohibited acts in the sector⁶.

Vietnam currently has nine operational casino projects, including six small-scale and three large¹. The first casino to allow Vietnamese visitors was Corona Phú Quốc, developed by Phú Quốc Tourism Investment and Development JSC, located within a $2 billion resort complex with 1,470 gaming machines and 147 tables¹. Its pilot program runs until the end of 2024¹. Deputy Prime Minister Lê Thành Long instructed the Ministry of Finance to study policy proposals for further developing the Phú Quốc special zone, including post-pilot provisions on Vietnamese casino access¹.

What it means for players

For Vietnamese citizens, the draft would set a formal price of entry rather than a paperwork test of financial capacity. The daily ticket is quoted at VNĐ2.5 million and the monthly at VNĐ50 million¹. Entry would remain restricted to those aged 21 and over with full legal capacity¹. Chips would be bought and cashed out in đồng only¹. Foreign players and Vietnamese players alike would be issued electronic ID cards recording access permissions and expiry dates¹. The draft does not state which casinos would admit Vietnamese players beyond those approved for the pilot; that has not been reported.

What happens next

The draft decree is open for public feedback¹. Under the proposal, the Ministry of Finance would lead a review with the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the State Bank of Vietnam and provincial authorities before the pilot ends, and report to the Government⁴. The Government would then decide whether to end or continue allowing Vietnamese citizens into casinos⁴. No date has been reported for the decree's adoption.