Vietnam Casino Rules 2026: VNeID Checks & New Fines Explained
Vietnam casino rules 2026: VNeID ID checks from 15 Nov, fines up to VND200m from 5 Dec, and who can still enter a casino (21+, income, ticket).
In this article
From 15 November 2026, Vietnam’s casinos may check a guest’s identity on the national VNeID app instead of only paper ID, and from 5 December fines for casino and betting breaches reach VND200 million for a company. Both changes come from two government decrees issued on 20 October 2026: Decree 392/2026/ND-CP on security conditions and Decree 391/2026/ND-CP on administrative penalties. Neither one opens casinos to more Vietnamese players. Locals can still play only at three pilot venues, and only if they meet the age, money and ticket rules. Here is what changed, who it affects and what stays the same. 18+, information only.
Two decrees, two dates
Vietnam’s government issued both decrees on 20 October 2026. They do different jobs:
| Decree | What it does | In force from |
|---|---|---|
| 392/2026/ND-CP | Amends Decree 96/2016 (security and public-order conditions for regulated businesses). Lets casinos, foreigner-only electronic gaming venues and betting operators verify customers through VNeID or identity papers. | 15 November 2026 |
| 391/2026/ND-CP | New administrative penalties for betting, casinos, electronic games with prizes for foreigners, and anti-money-laundering failures. Replaces Decree 137/2021/ND-CP. | 5 December 2026 |
Sources: Hustlers, 3 November 2026; Asia Casino; SCCG Management, 30 October 2026.
Takeaway: 15 November is about how a casino checks your ID; 5 December is about what a casino or bookmaker pays if it breaks the rules.
What the VNeID change means at the casino door
VNeID is Vietnam’s national electronic identification app, run by the Ministry of Public Security. Under Decree 392, a casino may now check a guest on VNeID or on identity papers. Paper documents stay valid, so nobody is forced onto the app. What does not change is the casino’s duty to:
- record every guest’s full details in its management register;
- keep out anyone who is not allowed to play;
- show the house rules in Vietnamese and a foreign language at the entrance;
- call the police at once about weapons, explosives or flammable materials;
- not hire staff with records for gambling, organising gambling or loan sharking;
- source at least 30% of security guards from licensed security companies (casinos and foreigner-only electronic gaming venues).
Source: SCCG Management, summarising Decree 392.
For a Vietnamese guest, a digital check makes it harder to borrow someone else’s card or lie about age, because the record comes from the state database. It is the same idea as the KYC checks online casinos run, and the same advice applies: only show your ID to the casino’s own counter, never to a “helper” outside. Our casino KYC and ID safety checklist explains what a real check asks for.
Takeaway: VNeID is an extra way to prove who you are, not a new right to enter.
The new fines from 5 December
Decree 391 sets a maximum fine of VND200 million (about US$7,800) for an organisation and VND100 million for an individual. As a general rule, an individual pays half the fine set for an organisation. It groups 51 types of violation: 17 for betting, 15 for casinos, 15 for electronic gaming with prizes for foreigners and 4 for money laundering and terrorist financing. Fines for organisations include:
| Violation (organisation) | Fine (VND) |
|---|---|
| Letting in people who are not allowed, or not monitoring entries and exits | 180m – 200m |
| Running a casino outside its authorised location | 180m – 200m |
| Serious money-laundering or terrorist-financing breaches (where not prosecuted as a crime) | 180m – 200m |
| Lending money to players so they can bet | 160m – 180m |
| No entry register, no electronic entry cards or incomplete records | 130m – 150m |
| Selling betting tickets to people who are not allowed | 130m – 150m |
| Anonymous accounts or accounts under fake names | 130m – 150m |
| Operating-hours breaches | 40m – 200m |
Sources: Asia Casino and SCCG Management. The US dollar figure uses the State Bank of Vietnam rate quoted by Hustlers on 2 November 2026.
On top of fines, the authorities can suspend a casino or betting business and confiscate equipment and money used in a breach. For letting in people who are not allowed, SCCG reports a suspension of 6 to 12 months for a first offence and 12 to 24 months for a repeat. The time limit to fine a breach is one year.
Takeaway: the biggest fines land on the door: who gets in, and whether the casino can prove it checked. That is why a reliable ID check now matters so much to operators.
Who can enter a casino in Vietnam today
Most Vietnamese citizens are still barred from casinos. Since 26 November 2025, Resolution 8/2025/NQ-CP lets eligible Vietnamese play at three venues only, according to The Investor:
- Corona Casino Phu Quoc (An Giang province), the first casino to admit locals, since 2019;
- Grand Casino Ho Tram (Ho Chi Minh City), on a five-year pilot;
- the Van Don casino project (Quang Ninh), from the day it receives its licence.
The entry conditions in Decree 03/2017, as reported by The Investor and Tilleke & Gibbins in November 2025, are:
- aged 21 or older, with full civil capacity;
- proof of a monthly income of at least VND10 million, or paying personal income tax at the third bracket or higher;
- an entry ticket of VND1 million for 24 consecutive hours or VND25 million a month.
The Ministry of Finance has proposed raising tickets to VND2.5 million a day and VND50 million a month and dropping the income paperwork, according to Viet Nam News. That was a draft; check the casino’s current rules before you travel. Foreign passport holders can enter Vietnam’s licensed casinos with their passport.
Takeaway: the new decrees tighten checks and raise fines; they do not widen who may play.
How Vietnam compares with its neighbours
| Country | Locals in casinos? | Online gambling |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnam | Only at 3 pilot venues, 21+, income/ticket rules | Illegal |
| Cambodia | Locals barred | Banned since 2019 (our explainer) |
| Thailand | No legal casinos yet | Illegal; a casino bill has been debated (our explainer) |
| Japan | First integrated resort being built in Osaka (our explainer) | Illegal |
Licensed land casinos in the region are listed with their entry rules in our Vietnam casino guides.
What it means for players
- Vietnamese players: nothing new opens. If you qualify, bring your CCCD card or VNeID, your income proof and money for the ticket, and play only at the three pilot venues.
- Foreign visitors: carry your passport; the casino must record you.
- Online: sites aimed at Vietnamese players are not licensed in Vietnam. Learn the warning signs in how to spot an unlicensed online casino.
- Anyone asked for ID by a “middleman”: do not send it. Real casinos check you at their own counter.
FAQ
When can Vietnam casinos use VNeID?
From 15 November 2026, under Decree 392/2026/ND-CP. Casinos may check guests on VNeID or with identity papers; paper ID stays valid.
What is the maximum fine under Vietnam’s new gambling decree?
VND200 million for an organisation and VND100 million for an individual, under Decree 391/2026/ND-CP from 5 December 2026. It replaces Decree 137/2021/ND-CP.
Can Vietnamese citizens go to a casino in Vietnam?
Only at Corona Casino Phu Quoc, Grand Casino Ho Tram and the Van Don project once licensed, and only if they are 21 or older, meet the income rule and buy an entry ticket (VND1 million for 24 hours or VND25 million a month under Decree 03/2017).
Do the new decrees let more Vietnamese play?
No. They change how casinos check ID and how much breaches cost. Who may play is still set by Decree 03/2017 and Resolution 8/2025/NQ-CP.
Is online gambling legal in Vietnam?
No. Vietnamese law does not license online casinos for local players. Sites offering casino games to Vietnamese players are not licensed in Vietnam.
18+ only. This article is general information, not legal advice. Laws change; check the current rules with the casino or a lawyer before you travel or play. If gambling stops being fun, take a break and get help – see our disclaimer and responsible gambling note.
Last checked 9 November 2026.
HotStakes is an independent directory. Some links on this site are affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no cost to you, and it never changes our rankings. Gambling involves risk — only play with money you can afford to lose, and if it stops being fun, seek help. This article is general information, not legal advice. Browse vetted operators by currency.
Next story →How Much Have I Lost Gambling? A 10-Minute Money Audit
Start the discussion