Today we will look at the gambling industry in Vietnam. We will touch on the main points related to the legality and regulation of online casinos and bookmakers. Consider the list of the best online casinos in Vietnam and talk about the methodology of choosing a good casino. Let’s analyze what bonuses are offered to Vietnamese players and what are the payment systems. And also talk about the popularity of sports betting in the country, lotteries, and other types of gambling.
Gambling in Vietnam is hot as a firecracker. Online casinos in Vietnam are a big deal, with hundreds of thousands of players hitting the tables and slots every day.
With so many online casinos to choose from, you might be wondering which ones are worth your time and money? We’ve put together a list of the top casinos for players from Vietnam, and we’ll break down how to make the right pick.
The Vietnamese are gamblers at heart, so the history of gambling in Vietnam runs deep. For example, back in the 1940s, dice games were all the rage, every merchant had a bowl of dice and would play a round with a willing customer. And many housewives would place bets if their horoscope came up lucky.
Despite its illegality, various lotteries, casinos, and sports betting have always been all the rage in Vietnam. The first type of gambling that was legalized was the lottery, established in 1936 and fully legalized in 1946.
It took until 2017 for land-based casinos to see the light of legality. That year, the country opened 8 luxury casinos for foreigners, and then the government rolled out a pilot bill that allowed some locals to play as long as their monthly income exceeded 10 million dongs ($437 USD) and they got a written permission slip from their family. Also, in 2017, it became legal to bet on world-class sporting events like the World Cup, horse racing, and dog races.
On June 14, 2018, sports fans hit the jackpot. Sports betting became fully legal in the country, but only for players over the age of 21.
Playing in land-based casinos is legal for most Vietnamese, if they meet some conditions: over 21 years old, no criminal record, an income above 10 million dongs, and written consent from the family. Sports betting is also legal, and there are several state and private lotteries in the country.
As for online casinos, it’s a bit of a grey area. On one hand, they’re forbidden, on the other hand, Vietnamese can easily play in offshore casinos.
Now we’d like to share some features that we consider when selecting the best casinos. First up, always pay attention to casino licenses and make sure they’re current. Next, take a peek at gaming forums and different thematic sites and read up on reviews about the casino. Then, suss out the bonus policy and compare it with the competition. And of course, don’t forget to check if the casino you choose has convenient payment systems, if it’s mobile-friendly if you’re planning to play from your phone, and if it has a chat with customer service. Let’s dive into each aspect in more detail.
The quickest way to figure out if a casino’s on the level is to check its license. Just scroll to the bottom of the site and you’ll find info about the current license. Some of the top dogs in the licensing world include: Curacao, MGA, UKGC, AGCC, and ONJN.
As mentioned, it’s impossible to get a clear picture of an online casino without hitting the gaming forums. So we always keep a close eye on the hottest threads and monitor any issues players are experiencing. If a casino’s caught in a web of problems they’re not sorting out, we don’t include them in our ratings.
Another major factor is the bonus policy, which covers not only welcome bonuses but also special conditions for regular players. We analyze a boatload of resources and compare their rating systems. The casinos with the sweetest bonuses for players from Vietnam make it onto our list.
A key point in the convenience of Vietnam’s online casinos is the availability of a ton of payment systems. Since card deposits aren’t always an option, it’s important to have alternatives like e-wallets or cryptocurrencies.
Having round-the-clock online support is critical. Sometimes players can’t make heads or tails of certain conditions or they can’t find the info they need. That’s where customer service comes in, usually in the form of an online chat in any good online casino in Vietnam.
With more and more players hitting the slots on their phones, a casino’s gotta have solid mobile compatibility. If you can’t spin the wheel or lay your cards down from your phone, it ain’t worth your time. That’s why we consider whether a casino’s mobile-friendly when we compile our list.
For players from Vietnam, there’s a whole boatload of different bonuses available. This includes everything from ‘welcome packages’ to regular rewards, as well as races, tournaments, and special rating systems. Let’s delve into these bonus types a bit more.
Usually, this either gives you a little extra on your deposit, like +300%, or a certain number of free spins. Often, at the best online casinos in Vietnam, it’s a combo of these two bonuses. So, you could get a +300% deposit bonus, as well as 100 free spins. Which is a pretty sweet cherry on top of your deposit.
For the casino’s regulars, there’s a whole range of bonuses. This could be an increased cashback on certain days of the week, or even a +50% deposit bonus. Another option is a special VIP system, with different levels that you progress through while you’re playing. Each bet earns you a certain number of points. The more points you earn, the higher your status, and the bigger your rewards. The rewards vary from casino to casino, but can include anything from a series of free spins to cash payouts, a better exchange rate for converting points into real money, or even all of the above.
Races and tournaments are special promotions that all players can take part in. They’re held by the casino itself or by various game providers. The goal in any race or tournament is the same – meet the conditions and climb the leaderboard. The conditions can vary: from snagging the highest multiplier in a slot, to the total of your biggest multipliers, or even the longest losing streak. Some online casinos in Vietnam also have special VIP tournaments, which are only open to players with a high level in the rating system.
As already mentioned, sports betting was fully legalized in Vietnam in 2018. To place a bet on a sports event, you have to be over 21. There’s also a minimum bet of 1000 dong and a daily maximum of 1 million dong. The most popular sports for betting, which take up a large portion of the bets, include:
The most popular bookies in Vietnam are BK8, Pari Match, PARIPESA, Bitcasino.io, and Intertops. In 2021, the gambling and betting industry was estimated to be worth a whopping 3.4 billion US dollars.
The most popular way to top up your account at online casinos in Vietnam is using a bank card (the so-called VTC) or bank transfer. Another popular method is using Western Union or Neteller. Let’s go through each method in more detail.
One of the easiest methods, accepting both credit cards and Visa bank cards. The main downside is the fee charged depending on the amount. If you want to give this method a whirl, we recommend checking the limits and fees.
The safest method, with almost no fees. The main drawback is that it takes a while for the transaction to go through, usually between 2 to 5 days.
The go-to deposit method for Vietnamese punters. The service accepts both credit and debit cards, from various systems (Visa/Mastercard/Maestro) and banks. What’s great about it is the speed of transactions and low fees. Plus, it’s super secure as you’re not leaving your bank info on some sketchy site.
An e-wallet that’s found fame worldwide, and particularly in Vietnam. It’s a cinch to register and easy to use. To make a deposit in a casino, you just have to create an account, add a bank card/account to it, verify your identity, then choose this method in the casino and follow the instructions.
Most casinos accept deposits in crypto. This can be BTC, ETH, LTC, TRX, DOGE, and many other coins. It’s worth noting that there are special crypto casinos where the game is played entirely in cryptocurrency. So if you’re holding crypto assets, making a deposit won’t be a problem for you.
NOTIFY
The legal status of cryptocurrencies in Vietnam is kinda complicated. Crypto isn’t considered official tender, nor even a digital asset. The government’s not keen on it, saying it’s used for money laundering, sponsoring terrorism, or tax evasion. There’s a ban on its use for some firms in the country.
However, there’s no ban on buying and selling crypto, so any Vietnamese citizen can purchase it and use it for investments or casino deposits.
We’ve looked at trends in the popularity of various providers in Vietnam and put together a list of the 5 most popular players in the industry.
A provider that needs no introduction. They produce top-notch games on a variety of themes, packed with diverse gaming mechanics and concepts. That’s why it’s a hit with players in Vietnam, and deservedly holds the top spot in the country.
Not well-known, but super popular in Vietnam, this producer of high-quality HTML5 games may have a small selection of slots, but each one is chock full of great graphics and pleasing sound design, which, coupled with interesting mechanics, has made them a hit with players in Vietnam.
Another market giant, known as one of the most versatile providers. With a portfolio of over 300 top-notch games developed around various themes, they never fail to impress. The availability of special branded products developed in collaboration with well-known personalities attracts players from all over the world, including Vietnam.
A top-drawer provider in Vietnam, they’ve rolled out a boatload of games with various mechanics. They’ve got a ton of slots with an Asian twist, and that’s why they’ve really hit the big time in the Asian countries.
A provider specializing in slots that are tailor-made for mobile devices. Sure, you can comfortably game on your computer with their products, but the interface really shines when you’re gaming on your phone. Thanks to their mobile-first approach, this provider has become a real hit in Vietnam, where smartphones are practically a way of life.
Vietnam’s got around 8 land-based casinos, mainly catering to foreigners. Until 2018, locals were barred from playing in land-based casinos, but then a pilot law came into effect, allowing locals to game in some casinos if they meet certain criteria. Out of all the land-based casinos in Vietnam, here are a few that stand out:
The Palazzo Club Casino in the Sheraton Saigon hotel, located in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). The casino’s got a wide array of gaming options, from various slots to a whole lot of tables for roulette, baccarat, blackjack, poker, and so much more. Since it’s in a hotel, there are rooms you can crash in nearby, a bar, and other entertainment spots all within a stone’s throw.
Another big player in Vietnam’s casino scene is the Caesar Palace Casino, located in Vung Tau. This casino boasts over 1300 slots and more than 170 tables for roulette and various card games.
And of course, we can’t forget to mention Doson Casino Resort, located in the city of Hai Phong. The casino is in a massive hotel, covering more than 1.5 square kilometers. The gaming selection is pretty extensive, with a large variety of slot machines and tables for board and card games like blackjack, baccarat, and poker.
Vietnamese folk spend over $3 billion a year on lottery tickets. So, you could say lotteries in Vietnam are a seriously popular form of gambling. There are over 20 different lotteries in the country.
The Northern, Southern, and Central lotteries are the biggest players. The state operator running the draws is Vietlott, who together with the Malaysian company Berjaya Corp Bhd, introduced a new type of lottery where you can pick your own combo. The prize for this lottery was nearly 8 times bigger than the largest prize of the previous Southern lottery, making it the new darling of the lottery scene.
The Vietlott company offers a choice of 6 different lotteries:
Besides online casinos, sports betting, and lotteries, card games are huge in Vietnam, especially poker. You can get your poker fix at various casinos and special poker rooms, which have recently started to welcome not just foreigners but locals too.
As the government’s got a softer spot for poker compared to online casinos, you can play not only offline but online as well. Big poker rooms like Pokerstars, 888poker, PartyPoker, and GGpokerok are happily welcoming Vietnamese players.
Given the kinda iffy situation with online casinos in Vietnam, there’s no local gaming commissions keeping tabs on online casino sites. So, when you’re choosing where to play, keep an eye out for international licenses like Curacao, UKGC, MGA, AGCC, and plenty others. If a site’s got a valid license, you should be good to go. Worst comes to worst, you can always reach out to support, post on specialized forums, or go straight to the commission that’s got jurisdiction over the casino.
To wrap it up, gambling’s a big deal in Vietnam, and there’s a whole industry with all kinds of gambling games as a result. Just 5 years ago, this was all aimed at foreigners, because locals weren’t allowed to partake in any gambling activities, apart from maybe lotteries. But there’s been a lot of loosening up in recent years. Now Vietnamese people can hit up casinos and various poker rooms, place sports bets, and even play online poker.
Online casinos are still sorta under the radar, but that hasn’t stopped Vietnamese folks from enjoying offshore online casinos. Various e-commerce services and e-wallets are making it easier for them to deposit and withdraw funds from online casinos.
Vietnamese players have access to almost every type of gambling entertainment available, from land-based slot machines to online poker.
You can, as sports betting and various lotteries are officially legal in Vietnam. You can bet or buy lottery tickets both offline and online.
Officially, the activity of online casinos in Vietnam is prohibited. But you can always play in offshore casinos.
For players from Vietnam, there are a large number of both welcome bonuses available at online casinos, as well as various VIP systems, regular races and tournaments.
