Vietnam's Ministry of Finance has proposed raising the entry fees that Vietnamese citizens pay to enter casinos, according to a draft decree on casino business that is open for public feedback1. The draft sets ticket prices at VND 2.5 million (US$95.32) per day or VND 50 million (US$1,906) per month for Vietnamese players1. Under current rules, Vietnamese players pay VND 1 million (about US$38) for 24 consecutive hours or VND 25 million (about US$950) per month, so the proposal would double both amounts2. The change would be the first major fee revision since the pilot program allowing Vietnamese players was introduced in 20172.
The ministry argues that the higher ticket price would assess financial ability while simplifying entry procedures, replacing a burdensome income-verification process that it says discourages legitimate domestic players and pushes them to gamble abroad1. Revenue from the fees must be remitted to the provincial budget and allocated mainly to education, vocational training, healthcare and other public welfare programs, with at least 60 percent designated for those priority sectors2.
"For this reason, the ministry views higher ticket prices to assess financial ability while simplifying entry procedures"
To be eligible, Vietnamese nationals must be at least 21 years old, possess full legal capacity and comply with other casino regulations1. They may only use Vietnamese dong to exchange for casino chips, which must be reconverted into dong if unused, and players bear full legal responsibility for all documents presented on 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 their State Treasury accounts1. Operators must run around-the-clock surveillance across 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. Projects seeking a casino license must sit within an integrated resort combining tourism, services and entertainment with minimum capital of $2 billion1.
| Item | Current | Proposed |
|---|---|---|
| Entry fee, 24 hours | VND 1 million (about US$38) | VND 2.5 million (about US$95) |
| Entry fee, per month | VND 25 million (about US$950) | VND 50 million (about US$1,900) |
Vietnam has nine operational casino projects, six small-scale and three large1. The first casino to admit Vietnamese visitors was Corona Phu Quoc, developed by Phu Quoc Tourism Investment and Development JSC, inside a $2 billion resort complex with 1,470 gaming machines and 147 tables1. Vietnam News reported that the Phu Quoc casino's pilot program runs until the end of 20241, while a later legal analysis states the government issued Resolution No. 8/2025/NQ-CP on November 26, 2025 to extend and expand the pilot to three integrated resorts: Corona Resorts & Casino Phu Quoc, continuing a pilot that started in 2019; The Grand Casino Ho Tram, a new five-year pilot starting November 26, 2025; and the Van Don Integrated Casino & Tourism Complex in Quang Ninh Province, a new five-year pilot from the date the casino receives its license2. After the pilot period, those projects must stop allowing Vietnamese players until the government issues further decisions2.
What it means for players
For Vietnamese citizens, the cost of legally entering a casino would double if the draft is adopted, and the fee would replace the paperwork previously used to prove income1. The age floor of 21, the dong-only chip rule and the requirement to convert unused chips back to dong remain in the draft1. Foreign players and expats are not subject to the entry fee, but the draft would apply electronic ID cards to all players and extend record-keeping and surveillance obligations at participating casinos1. The expansion of the pilot means Vietnamese players can now be admitted at three named resorts rather than one, though each is time-limited2. The draft decree has not been adopted, and no date for its adoption has been reported.
What happens next
The draft decree remains open for public feedback1. Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long instructed the Ministry of Finance to study policy proposals for further developing the Phu Quoc special zone, including post-pilot provisions on Vietnamese casino access1. The Grand Casino Ho Tram pilot runs for five years from November 26, 2025, and the Van Don pilot for five years from the date it receives its license2.
