Vietnam has tightened oversight of prize-winning electronic games reserved for foreign players under a revised government decree that takes effect in mid-May, Việt Nam News reported on March 28, 20261. The changes set stricter qualification standards for venue managers and clearer procedures for licensing and renewal1.
Managers of gaming venues must now hold at least a university degree and have a minimum of three years' experience in the sector, alongside baseline conditions including full legal capacity and a clean record free from criminal charges, imprisonment or professional bans1.
The decree broadens how businesses can apply for operating licenses, allowing submissions in person, by post or online1. Once a complete dossier is received, the Ministry of Finance has up to 90 days to review and issue a license1. If an application is deemed incomplete, companies must be notified within a defined period and given 10 working days to submit additional documentation1. Licensing decisions will continue to involve consultation across relevant ministries and agencies1.
Renewal conditions are also more detailed. Operators seeking extensions must show they continue to meet all regulatory requirements, maintain adequate financial capacity and have not faced repeated sanctions1. Companies whose licenses have been revoked or whose operations have been suspended twice or more within the previous decade will be ineligible for renewal1.
"The government says the changes are intended to strengthen regulatory oversight while improving transparency and efficiency in the sector."
The report did not specify the exact effective date in May, the decree number, or which venues hold these licenses1. The article carried a photograph captioned as police dismantling a foreigner-only prize gaming venue found to be operating illegal gambling in HCM City in late 20241.
What it means for players
The decree governs prize-winning electronic games reserved for foreign players, so its direct effect falls on venues that admit foreigners rather than on the general Vietnamese public1. For foreign residents and visitors, the practical change is on the operator side: who may manage a venue, how a license is obtained and the grounds on which it can be renewed or refused1. The rules do not alter what players may wager or how prizes are paid, and no change to player eligibility was reported1. Because the decree concerns licensed foreigner-only venues, it does not by itself make any unlicensed operation legal, and the report notes a 2024 police action against an illegal gambling venue in HCM City1. Details of how the new manager standards will be verified, and whether existing managers must requalify, have not been reported1.
What happens next
The decree takes effect in mid-May1. Applications may be filed in person, by post or online, with the Ministry of Finance allowed up to 90 days to review and issue a license once a complete dossier is received, and applicants given 10 working days to supply missing documentation1. Operators holding licenses that expire will need to meet the renewal conditions, and those with two or more revocations or suspensions in the past decade cannot renew1. The exact commencement date and the text of the decree have not been reported1.
For background on who may gamble in the country, see Can Foreigners Gamble in Vietnam? and Can I Gamble in Vietnam?. The rules sit within the wider framework covered in Gambling Laws in Asia: What Is Legal in 12 Jurisdictions, and venues of this type are described in Slot Machines and Electronic Gaming Clubs in Vietnam. Prize machines outside casinos are covered in Arcade Prize Games and Gaming Machines Outside Casinos: The Law.
Sources1 sources
- Rules tightened on foreign-only prize-winning electronic games, vietnamnews.vn
