The trial period allowing Vietnamese citizens to play at the Phu Quoc casino in Kien Giang will be extended until 31 December 2024.
According to media reports in Vietnam, this was based on the decree submitted by the Ministry of Finance to the Government, which amended Clause 2, Article 12 of Decree No. 03/2017/ND-CP on casino business. Meanwhile, the trial period for other casinos will be three years from the date of receiving the Certificate of Eligibility for Casino Business from the Vietnamese Government.
This trial period was part of a comprehensive review and assessment conducted by the Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the State Bank of Vietnam, and local People's Committees.
The Ministry of Finance emphasised that this was crucial for assessing the effectiveness of allowing Vietnamese citizens to play at casinos. This clarity would also enable enterprises to effectively manage their operations and plan accordingly.
The request was initially made by Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance in 2022, asking for a two-year extension of a three-year pilot programme that allows Vietnamese people to gamble at a casino on Phu Quoc Island.