Ninh Binh Provincial Police have launched a high-point campaign to suppress gambling and football betting offenses during the World Cup 2026, the provincial police directorate said on 10 June 20261. The campaign runs for the length of the tournament, from 11 June to 19 July 20261.
The director of the provincial police directed forces across the province to carry out the campaign against crimes and legal violations linked to betting and gambling "in all forms"1. Units were told to identify people showing signs of organizing gambling, acting as football betting brokers, or running online betting networks, and to strengthen patrols and control of their areas, especially crowded places and service businesses subject to security and order conditions1.
"Giám đốc Công an tỉnh đã chỉ đạo lực lượng Công an toàn tỉnh triển khai đợt cao điểm tấn công, trấn áp các loại tội phạm và vi phạm pháp luật liên quan đến hoạt động cá cược, đánh bạc dưới mọi hình thức"
The announcement said that during major football tournaments, especially World Cup-scale events, football betting tends to become more complex, with offenders mainly using the internet, messaging apps and social media to form online betting networks that are hard to detect1. It said some people join betting out of greed or a lack of legal knowledge, leading to debt and other offenses1.
The police also said commune and ward officers would publicize the methods used by gambling and football betting offenders, along with the legal provisions and penalties for gambling, organizing gambling and illegal football betting, through local loudspeaker systems, meetings and official local social media pages1. They urged residents not to take part in gambling or football betting in any form, not to assist, broker, take bets, record scores or join betting groups on the internet, and to report suspected offenses to the nearest police office1.
What it means for players
Vietnam does not permit betting on football matches, and the campaign covers gambling and betting "in all forms"1. The police statement describes organizers, brokers and people who take bets or record scores as targets, alongside players themselves1. The practical effect is more patrols and checks in crowded places and in service businesses during the tournament, and a push for residents to report suspected betting activity1. The announcement does not set out any new penalties, thresholds or named enforcement cases, and no arrests or charges are reported in it1. Anyone in Ninh Binh province during the tournament is covered by the campaign, whether local, expat or visitor, since the measures apply to the province's territory1.
What happens next
The campaign runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026, matching the World Cup 2026 period given in the announcement1. The police said they would detect, fight and strictly handle cases where people use match-watching and support gatherings to organize illegal gambling and betting1. No results, case numbers or further phases have been reported1.
For background on how football betting is regulated across the region, see Football Betting in Asia and Betting on the World Cup in Asia. For the legal position in the country, see Can I Gamble in Vietnam?.
