Vietnam: casino proposed in Van Phong Economic Zone

The Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee has proposed a casino development in the Van Phong Economic Zone.

Vietnam.- A new casino has been proposed in Vietnam, in the Van Phong Economic Zone, near Cam Ranh Bay.

The project has been put forward by the Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee. The economic zone is expected to be launched by 2040, with a second and final phase due to be finished by 2050.

The area covers about 70,000 hectares and aims to drive economic development by creating a zone that will include a port, fisheries and an entertainment area. The Van Phong casino would be aimed at tourists.

In June, the Ministry of Finance proposed an extension of the scheme that allows Vietnamese citizens to gamble at selected casinos until 2024.

At present, Vietnamese citizens are only permitted to enter two casinos: one on the southern island of Phu Quoc and the other in Van Don, in the northern province of Quang Ninh.

The government has tight restrictions on who can enter the properties: players must be aged over 21 and earn a minimum of VND$10m (US$430) a month. Players must also have no criminal record and no objections from their families.

The scheme was to be reviewed next year, but the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and lack of tourism have led authorities to extend the permission on locals’ access to casinos until 2024. The proposal must be reviewed by the country’s prime minister.

In March, casino operators asked the government to expand Vietnamese citizens’ access to casinos in major tourism destinations such as Quang Nam and Ba Ria-Vung Tau to help casinos face the loss of revenue from tourists owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

However, the government has stated the current scheme won’t be expanded to other casino operators.