Hung Yen Provincial Police investigation authority had prosecuted 29 suspects in many provinces and cities nationwide for the act of "gambling" through football betting as of 22 May 2026, the Ministry of Public Security said1. The case concerns the website "OK9," which the police describe as a site specializing in sports betting1.
The investigation was handled by the Criminal Police Division of Hung Yen Provincial Police, which identified the site through professional measures1. According to the ministry's account, OK9 advertised heavily on social media platforms and in Telegram groups, promoting betting methods, deposit and withdrawal procedures and accompanying promotions, and presenting betting as entirely secret and safe in order to draw in gamblers1. The 29 prosecuted suspects include many who are not professional offenders, are first-time offenders, or hold stable jobs, the ministry said1.
The Criminal Police Division issued four recommendations to the public, service businesses and entertainment venues1.
"Tính đến ngày 22/5/2026, Cơ quan Cảnh sát điều tra Công an tỉnh Hưng Yên đã khởi tố 29 bị can ở nhiều tỉnh, thành phố trên cả nước về hành vi 'Đánh bạc' bằng hình thức cá độ bóng đá"
The ministry said the suspects were prosecuted for "gambling" through football betting, without stating the amounts wagered, the sums seized, the specific provinces and cities involved, or the identities of those prosecuted1. No trial date or further procedural step has been reported1.
What it means for players
Vietnam treats betting on football through online sites such as OK9 as a criminal offense rather than a regulatory matter, and the Hung Yen case shows prosecutions reaching people the police describe as first-time offenders with ordinary jobs, not only organized operators1. The ministry's account places the arrests in the run-up to a tournament it expects to generate betting activity, and its recommendations extend to cafes, restaurants, entertainment venues and internet shops, which are told not to host betting or shelter those organizing it during match screenings1. For anyone in Vietnam, local or foreign, the practical exposure described here is prosecution for the act of betting itself, not merely for running a site1. How Vietnamese law applies to players, and how other jurisdictions in the region handle online betting, is set out in our guides to online gambling enforcement against players, online gambling in Asia and gambling laws in Asia. Background on regional operations against offshore betting operators is in our guide to crackdowns on offshore online gambling hubs, and the mechanics of football markets are covered in sports betting in Asia.
What happens next
The ministry said the Hung Yen Criminal Police Division asked the public to report suspected football betting to the nearest police office or to the division itself1. No court dates, additional arrests or case timeline beyond 22 May 2026 have been reported1.
