Vietnam court rules in online gambling case

The court ruled against two senior police officials that were involved in an online gambling ring.

Vietnam.- A Vietnamese court ruled on Friday against two senior police officials, who were found guilty of running an underground online gambling ring that collected millions. The officials were sentenced for 9 and 10 years respectively.

Local media said that they were both convicted of “abusing power in performance of official duties.” While gambling is not welcomed by locals, police shut down dozens of gambling rings annually. However, last year it was reported that the country would allow some citizens to enter selected casinos, in an attempt to boost domestic tourism and increase state revenue.

Last week, it was revealed that a new casino is set to be developed in Vietnam as the authorities have approved a venue on the island of Phu Quoc in Kien Giang Province. The project has been cleared to join a three-year trial scheme that would allow Vietnamese into selected gaming venues. The whole project is expected to be completed by 2021 but it remains unclear when the casino would open to the public.