Vietnam gambling penalty decree sets fines of up to VND200 million
Vietnam will introduce a revised administrative penalty framework for betting, casino operations and electronic gaming businesses on 5 December 2026, establishing fines of up to VND200 million for organisations that breach the rules.
The Vietnam gambling penalty decree, formally identified as Decree No. 391/2026/ND-CP, was signed on 20 October by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Van Thang. It sets out administrative violations, financial penalties, additional sanctions and remedial measures covering betting and prize-winning gaming activities.
The regulation replaces Decree No. 137/2021/ND-CP, which has governed administrative penalties in these sectors since January 2022. The updated framework also addresses violations involving anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing requirements.
Vietnam gambling penalty decree establishes new fine limits
Under Decree No. 391/2026/ND-CP, the maximum administrative fine for covered violations is VND200 million for organisations and VND100 million for individuals.
The distinction between corporate and individual liability is important for operators assessing their exposure. Under the general rule, individual fines are half the corresponding organisational penalties, subject to the decree's specific provisions.
The framework covers businesses operating betting services, casinos and electronic games with prizes for foreign players. It also applies to other organisations and individuals committing administrative violations within the regulation's scope.
Authorities can impose warnings or monetary penalties, depending on the violation. Additional measures include temporary suspension of betting, casino or electronic gaming operations, as well as confiscation of objects and equipment used in administrative offences.
The decree also provides for remedial action. Depending on the circumstances, businesses may be required to surrender improperly altered operating certificates, destroy non-compliant betting tickets or gaming equipment, correct deficiencies at gaming premises, and fulfil other obligations prescribed by the rules.
Betting operators face fines of up to VND200 million
Betting businesses face some of the regulation's highest penalties for operating beyond their authorised scope or offering products that do not comply with applicable requirements.
Organisations can face fines ranging from VND180 million to VND200 million for specified violations, including operating betting activities outside the permitted scope of their licences. The same range applies to certain unlawful betting operations or activities involving betting-event outcomes where the conduct does not reach the threshold for criminal prosecution.
The penalties also cover betting types and products that breach the applicable legal framework, subject to the conditions specified in the decree.
Operators must also observe restrictions on who can participate. Selling betting tickets to people who are not eligible to place bets can result in fines ranging from VND130 million to VND150 million for an organisation.
A separate provision targets the financing of betting participation. Organisations that lend money to players so they can place bets face fines ranging from VND160 million to VND180 million.
These provisions create several distinct compliance considerations for licensed businesses, including the scope of permitted products, customer eligibility and the handling of financial arrangements connected with betting.
Casino and electronic gaming businesses face operational scrutiny
The decree also introduces a range of penalties for casinos and electronic gaming venues offering prizes to foreign players.
Violations involving documentation for certificates of eligibility to operate can attract fines ranging from VND40 million to VND100 million. Breaches concerning the management or use of operating certificates can result in penalties ranging from VND90 million to VND200 million.
Businesses must also ensure that gaming premises operate at authorised locations and comply with applicable conditions. Certain violations involving the placement of business premises can attract fines ranging from VND180 million to VND200 million.
Operating hours are another area covered by the framework. Depending on the violation, penalties for breaches of operating-time requirements can range from VND40 million to VND200 million.
The provisions make operational controls a significant part of regulatory compliance. Businesses need to ensure that licences and supporting documents remain valid, premises meet authorised conditions, and gaming activities follow applicable operating requirements.
The decree also specifies corrective measures for certain breaches. These may include restoring gaming premises to compliant conditions, maintaining records or electronic systems to monitor entry into gaming venues, and establishing appropriate internal-control arrangements.
Anti-money laundering obligations carry significant penalties
Decree No. 391/2026/ND-CP also addresses administrative violations connected with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing.
Certain violations involving anonymous accounts or accounts using fictitious names can attract fines ranging from VND130 million to VND150 million. The framework also identifies specified violations involving financial services and the handling of funds.
More serious covered conduct, including certain money-laundering activities, failures to report terrorist-financing conduct and the provision of financial resources to entities associated with terrorism, can attract fines ranging from VND180 million to VND200 million where criminal prosecution does not apply.
The decree further addresses obstruction of information provision for anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing enforcement.
For operators, these provisions highlight the importance of customer identification, reliable records, internal reporting procedures and controls designed to detect suspicious activity. Businesses should assess their existing systems against the specific obligations that apply to their activities rather than assuming that general compliance procedures will satisfy every requirement.
One-year limitation period and December implementation
The regulation establishes a one-year limitation period for administrative penalties in the covered sectors.
For an ongoing violation, the period is calculated from the time an authorised official discovers the conduct. For a completed violation, the period begins when the violation ends, according to the decree's general provisions.
The framework also sets out 17 groups of administrative violations for betting, 15 for casinos and 15 for electronic gaming activities offering prizes to foreign players. Four additional groups concern violations involving anti-money laundering, terrorist financing and the financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Decree No. 391/2026/ND-CP takes effect on 5 December 2026, replacing the previous administrative penalty decree.
The period before implementation gives affected businesses an opportunity to review their licences, operational procedures, customer eligibility controls and financial monitoring arrangements. Operators should also examine whether their recordkeeping, reporting and internal-control processes address the specific violations and corrective measures listed in the new framework.
For Vietnam's regulated betting and gaming sectors, the revised rules establish clearer penalty ranges across licensing, operations and financial compliance. Their practical impact will depend on how businesses adapt their procedures and how authorities apply the provisions once the decree comes into force.
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Asean Gaming
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