The Investigation Police Agency of Quảng Trị Provincial Police said it opened a criminal case and prosecuted 16 suspects on charges of organizing gambling and gambling under the Penal Code, in connection with the OK9 and Lương Sơn TV system1. The case covers activity in Quảng Trị province and other provinces and cities1. The prosecutions were made on the basis of documents and evidence collected up to 24/7/2026, and the announcement was carried by the Ministry of Public Security on 04/8/20261.
Investigators said the group operated under the name Lương Sơn TV, led in Vietnam by a figure known by the alias FDR OBANK, who was identified as a senior manager who directly ran the group's operations in Vietnam1. The group used specialized equipment to capture OTT or satellite broadcast signals from sports tournaments held under the lawful rights of television stations and copyright owners, then streamed them free on the Lương Sơn TV website across multiple domain names1. During broadcasts, commentators and customer service staff promoted and guided viewers to register accounts, deposit money and bet on the OK9 bookmaker through links pinned on the website or shared on social media and messaging apps1.
At the time of detection, the OK9 and Lương Sơn TV system had tens of thousands of active player accounts, with total transaction value from gambling organization and illegal rebroadcasting estimated at more than 1.500 tỷ đồng per month1. The group previously operated from the Krong Bavet area of Cambodia, then moved its operations into Vietnam from the start of 20261. Members worked online from multiple locations, used aliases to communicate over encrypted apps, combined VPNs with servers located abroad and changed domain names repeatedly to hide their traces1. Salaries were paid in the digital currency USDT through e-wallets, while payments were made through bank accounts not held in the account holders' own names1.
On 06/7/2026, the case board deployed six working groups in several localities at once, summoning and working with those involved, initially clarifying the method, tactics and scale of the OK9 and Lương Sơn TV system1. Investigators also said the capture and illegal rebroadcast of copyrighted sports programs showed signs of the crime of infringing copyright and related rights under Article 225 of the Penal Code1.
"Cơ quan Cảnh sát điều tra Công an tỉnh Quảng Trị đã khởi tố vụ án, khởi tố 16 bị can"
What it means for players
Vietnam does not permit betting on offshore online platforms, and this case shows enforcement reaching the people who ran the operation rather than only the accounts on it. The 16 suspects face charges of organizing gambling and gambling1. The investigation describes tens of thousands of active player accounts on the OK9 system1, but the announcement does not say whether any account holders were detained, questioned or charged, and no such action has been reported1.
The case also links unlicensed sports streaming to betting promotion, which is the route investigators say was used to recruit players: free broadcasts, then links to register, deposit and bet1. For anyone using offshore sites in Vietnam, the practical point is that the payment and staffing trail described here, USDT salaries and bank accounts not in the holders' own names, is what investigators examined1. Whether individual players face consequences is not addressed in the announcement1.
What happens next
The case is under continued and expanded investigation to clarify the roles of those involved so they can be handled strictly under the law, according to the announcement1. No trial date, additional charges or further arrests have been reported1.
For background on how Vietnam and its neighbors treat online betting, see Gambling Laws in Asia: What Is Legal in 12 Jurisdictions and Online Gambling in Asia: The Law for Players in 12 Jurisdictions. Related enforcement patterns are covered in Crackdowns on Offshore Online Gambling Hubs in Asia and Have Players Been Arrested for Online Gambling in Asia? Cases by Jurisdiction. Country guides: Can I Gamble in Vietnam? and Can I Gamble in Cambodia?.
