Hà Nội People's Court on Tuesday opened a first-instance trial of 58 defendants accused of running a large transnational online gambling and money-laundering network1. Prosecutors allege that ringleader Mai Anh Việt, 45, faces charges of organizing gambling and money laundering, while the remaining defendants are charged with organizing gambling or gambling1.
The case was uncovered on May 18, 2025, when Lao authorities raided a hotel in Vientiane and detained Việt and 29 other Vietnamese nationals allegedly operating online betting through the websites Bóng X9, AZbet88 and CR881. The suspects and evidence were later transferred to Việt Nam for investigation and prosecution1. Investigators said Việt launched Bóng X9 in early 2022, linking it to major bookmakers including bong88.com, viva88.com and sbobet.com1. After poor performance, he allegedly partnered in late 2022 with Nguyễn Hữu Sơn, 42, from HCM City, to rebuild the platform, purchase credits from overseas bookmakers and resell them to bettors1. Sơn then contacted a Singaporean known on Telegram as Lawren, also called Chinh, whose team handled software development and site maintenance, while Việt's group managed marketing, player recruitment, account setup and cash-in and cash-out operations, according to the indictment1. Two additional sites, AZbet88 and EX88, were launched in early 20231.
Prosecutors said Việt ran the operation from the seventh floor of the Paradie Hotel in Vientiane and two other locations in Xaysettha District1. He allegedly recruited Vietnamese staff to work in Laos, providing accommodation and paying salaries or profit shares, sometimes via a Lao associate named Thiện1. From January 2023 to May 2025, total wagering on the three platforms exceeded VNĐ4,000 billion (about US$151.82 million), the indictment states1.
Around January 2023, Việt hired livestream promoter Trương Đình Thanh Quang, 35, to broadcast football matches and analyze betting lines five nights a week from 9pm to 2am to attract users to the platforms1. Quang allegedly earned VNĐ1.4 billion1. A 14-member support team handled customer service, including account creation, deposit and withdrawal guidance via Telegram and password resets, supervised by Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Chi, 45, from Hà Nội's Giảng Võ ward1.
To disguise proceeds, Việt allegedly moved funds through personal accounts and into informal rotating savings pools1. Between January 17, 2023 and May 18, 2025, he transferred more than VNĐ5 billion from accounts into such pools, instructing his wife to track balances1. Authorities estimate Việt concealed the criminal origin of more than VNĐ18.8 billion, and his alleged personal illicit gains exceed VNĐ5 billion1.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Quang's alleged earnings | VNĐ1.4 billion |
| Transfers into rotating savings pools, January 17, 2023 to May 18, 2025 | More than VNĐ5 billion |
| Concealed criminal origin, estimated | More than VNĐ18.8 billion |
| Việt's alleged personal illicit gains | More than VNĐ5 billion |
"Hà Nội People's Court on Tuesday opened a first-instance trial of 58 defendants accused of running a large transnational online gambling and money-laundering network"
What it means for players
The trial concerns the operators of Bóng X9, AZbet88 and CR88, not the people who placed bets on them. The indictment describes account creation, deposits and withdrawals handled through Telegram, and a support team that reset passwords1. No information has been reported on whether any bettors who used those platforms face investigation or charges in Vietnam.
Vietnam's rules on what gambling is legal for residents and visitors are set out in our guide to gambling in Vietnam, and the wider regional picture is covered in Gambling Laws in Asia and Is Online Gambling Legal in Asia?. Cases in which players themselves have faced arrest are collected in Have Players Been Arrested for Online Gambling in Asia?.
The sites named in the case were linked to offshore bookmakers including bong88.com, viva88.com and sbobet.com1. Players holding balances on platforms connected to this network have no reported route to recover funds through the Vietnamese courts, and the general position on unpaid offshore sites is set out in When an Online Gambling Site Won't Pay Out.
What happens next
The trial is expected to last three days1. No verdict or sentencing date beyond that has been reported.
