VIETNAM
Vietnam is one of the most dynamic and controversial Tier 2 gambling markets in Southeast Asia. Formally, most gambling within the country is prohibited, but in fact online casinos, sports betting and crash formats through foreign platforms demonstrate steady growth and form a large shadow turnover.
The Vietnamese market has a young digital audience, a very high level of mobile activity, a strong interest in betting on football and the rapid introduction of electronic payments.
Online casinos in Vietnam
Commercial online casinos are officially prohibited within the country, but it is the online segment that is the main source of real market turnover.
Lack of national licenses for online casinos.
Massive use of offshore platforms.
High demand for slots, crash games and live casinos.
Mobile user dominance.
Rapid growth in online audience.
Vietnam ranks among the most active Asian markets for traffic to overseas online casinos.
Land-based casinos and gaming halls
Land gambling in Vietnam exists in a strictly limited format and is mainly aimed at foreign tourists.
Licensed casinos for foreigners.
Closed access for most citizens.
Casinos at hotels and resorts.
State restrictions on assault rifles.
Age limit 21 +.
The offline sector plays a secondary role compared to the online sector.
Sports betting and betting
Sports betting is the most popular gambling destination in Vietnam, despite formal bans.
The most popular destinations:- Football (European and Asian leagues).
- Esports.
- Basketball.
- Tennis.
- Combat sports.
Live betting forms the bulk of the bookmaker's turnover.
Regulation and licences
Gambling regulation in Vietnam belongs to one of the toughest models in the region.
Prohibition of commercial online gambling.
No national casino license.
Partial experiments with legalization of betting.
Active site blocking.
Control of payment transactions.
The legislative model remains closed, but is in the stage of gradual transformation.
Payment methods
Vietnam is one of Asia's leaders in the development of digital and mobile payments.
Bank cards.
Bank transfers.
Mobile wallets.
QR payments.
Active use of cryptocurrencies.
Electronic wallets and crypto payments are often used to circumvent restrictions.
Popular games and formats
The gaming preferences of the Vietnamese audience are centered around:- Video slots.
- Crash games.
- Live casino.
- Sports betting.
- Fast arcade formats.
Crash games and sports live betting show maximum growth rates.
Mobile gambling
Vietnam is an almost entirely mobile online gambling market.
Smartphone dominance.
High speed of mobile Internet.
Browser betting and mobile web versions.
Instant deposits from smartphones.
Young digital audience.
Mobile traffic forms the vast majority of all bets and game sessions.
Advertising and responsible play
Gambling advertising is officially banned in Vietnam.
Complete ban on casino promotion and betting.
Internet censorship and domain blocking.
Use of hidden marketing channels.
Telegram, instant messengers and influencers.
Lack of official responsible play programs.
The market is developing outside the official advertising environment.
Why Vietnam is a Tier 2 market
The Vietnamese market is characterized by:- a huge and young online audience;
- strict state prohibitions;
- massive use of offshore platforms;
- high interest in betting on football;
- explosive growth of mobile gambling.
Vietnam is one of the most officially closed, but at the same time the most active actually Tier 2 gambling markets in Asia. It is dominated by online casinos, slots, crash games and sports betting through foreign platforms. For operators, this is a high-potential market with serious regulatory risks, for players - a constant demand for fast, mobile and technological game formats.