VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnamese may be able to visit casinos if they are 21 years old or older and earn at least VND10 million a month, or if they are third-level taxpayers with high personal income, according to a draft decree on casino management.

However, in the immediate time, this will be applied on a trial basis to two casinos on Phu Quoc Island in Kien Giang province and Van Don Casino in Quang Ninh.

The application on a trial basis will last three years, beginning on the day one of the two casinos can meet requirements to become operational. 

Eligible family members cannot play if parents, wives, husbands and children ask casinos to prevent them from playing.

The admission tickets for Vietnamese, as suggested by the decree compilation agency, would be VND1 million, valid for 24 consecutive hours, or VND25 million a month for one person. 

Vietnamese will have to play and receive awards in Vietnamese dong.

Whether to allow Vietnamese to go to casino has been discussed by state management agencies over the last many years. The decree, if issued, will give the answer to the question. 

Instead of requiring investors to have $4 billion as initially planned, the draft decree only requires investors to have $2 billion. 

Investors will be granted licenses only after they finish the disbursement of at least a half of the committed investment capital. Each project will have no more than one casino.

As for the projects to be licensed after the decree takes effect, investors will be able to set up one games table and 10 machines for every $10 million worth of investment. As for the projects licensed before the decree is issued, the number of games tables and machines will be in accordance with the licenses.

Ha Ton Vinh, an expert who has urged the government to allow Vietnamese to go to casino, said that the decision on Van Don and Phu Quoc casinos in the northern and southern economic zones is reasonable considering the demand of the two provinces and investors.

According to Tuoi Tre, four casinos in integrated resort projects have been licensed, including Van Don in Quang Ninh, Nam Hoi An in Quang Nam, Ho Tram in Ba Ria – Vung Tau and Phu Quoc in Kien Giang.

The consulting firm Boston Consulting Group (BCG) forecasts the population of the middle class and wealthy in Vietnam will more than double in the 2014-2020 period, from 12 million to 33 million.

Thanh Lich