All bets are off on ACV’s airport gaming proposal

If approved, the request submitted by ACV would allow electronic gaming services at Vietnamese airports Photo: Le Toan

In a document recently sent to the Government Office, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) said that although many international airports across the world are successfully operating electronic gaming, including Heathrow, Schiphol, Munich, Reno International, and Incheon International, many potential issues should be taken into consideration if an airport operator is licensed to run this business in Vietnam.

“The proposal made by Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) and supported by the Ministry of Transport (MoT) to enable airport operators to provide electronic gaming services is not compatible with current rules, such as Decree No.86/2013/ND-CP dated July 29, 2013 governing the operations of these services in Vietnam. According to the decree, only 5-star hotels and resorts are allowed to provide such services,” the MoF said.

“Additionally, once ACV gets licensed, other companies will follow. However, this kind of service is still highly restricted,” it added.

According to the MoF, ACV is not the first enterprise to apply for the electronic gaming services licence. Southern Airports Services Joint Stock Company previously made the same application in 2003. However, its request was immediately rejected by former Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) also suggested amending the regulations to allow more businesses to be licensed for electronic gaming services as requested by the MoT, which said that the services were expected to help not only improve the airports’ competitiveness but also raise funds for infrastructure development.

The MoF stated that if the government approved the MoT’s request, the gaming service provider would be subject to a trial period of three to five years so as to make a thorough assessment before perfecting the legal framework for the business.

Last November, ACV got the green light from the prime minister to operate electronic gaming services in isolated areas of some international airports, including Tan Son Nhat, Noi Bai, Danang, Phu Quoc, and Cam Ranh. ACV has even called on businesses to become partners in the business.

Vietnamese airports have reported a growing number of international passengers with long stays in isolated areas after finishing exit and customs procedures, thanks to the ongoing recovery of the tourism market.

According to statistics from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, international tourist arrivals in Vietnam in the first quarter of 2016 increased 19.9 per cent on-year to nearly 2.5 million, nearly two million of whom arrived by air, up 16.8 per cent on-year.