Reforms in Baby Steps<\/strong><\/h2>\nGambling was made illegal under Vietnam\u2019s Communist regime following the country\u2019s reunification in 1976. Nevertheless, it has eight casinos, with three more underway.<\/p>\n
Until 2017, these were only open to holders of foreign passports \u2013 but, eager for international investment, the country\u2019s one-party government has begun trialling limited gambling for locals at certain properties, provided they can prove they are high earners \u2013 which in Vietnam means taking in more than $450 per month. The average is around $150.<\/p>\n
Recently there have been efforts to introduce sports betting, although again with extreme restrictions.<\/p>\n
The most popular sports wagered on illegally in Vietnam are the soccer World Cup and the Asian Games — which is why, prior to last summer\u2019s World Cup, the government decided to legalize sports betting on those events alone.<\/p>\n
But the plan failed spectacularly when not a single operator applied for a license. Apparently, the idea of setting up operations in a country where betting is only permitted on two events, each held every four years, did not appeal.<\/p>\n
And meanwhile, a certain operation in a tightly guarded gated community in Haiphong City was probably cleaning up.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Police in Vietnam swooped on a massive illegal online gambling operation Sunday, arresting more than 380 Chinese nationals in a tightly guarded gated community in the northern port city of Haiphong. Authorities said it was the largest online gambling ring they had encountered during a years-long crackdown on illegal operations, both in terms of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":110585,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Police Bust Vietnam\u2019s Biggest Ever Online Gambling Ring, 380 Arrested<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n