All casinos can pilot serving Vietnamese customers

This is very surprising because before the decree was issued in January, some sources were saying that the government would only authorise pilot programmes in casinos in the northern province of Quang Ninh's Van Don and the southern province of Kien Giang's Phu Quoc Island.

This means that all casinos in Vietnam can pilot opening to Vietnamese customers.

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According to the draft, which was put forward to gather public opinion late last week, Vietnamese who want to play in the casinos have to demonstrate that they have sufficient financial capacity by showing a copy of the personal income tax collection form issued by the tax authority showing that they have a monthly income over VND10 million ($439) or a pay slip certified by the organisation where the person works showing that they have a monthly income over VND10 million ($439).

Otherwise, Vietnamese players can supply notarised house renting contracts, asset renting contracts, or a copy of a bank statement showing their annual interest income or other documents that can prove a regular monthly income of VND10 million ($439) and over.

Also, according to the draft, the company operating the casino that is allowed to pilot serving Vietnamese customers has to save these documents for at least three years so that government agencies can supervise, monitor, check, and investigate.

As vacation-goers rarely take these documents along, many people are saying that these requirements are too complicated.

The draft also proposes the company opens an account for or issue an electronic card to each customer in order to monitor people entering and leaving the casino according to Clause 14 of Decree 03. The account can be recorded by hand or electronically. The information has to be saved for at least three years so that government agencies can supervise, monitor, check, and investigate relevant data.

The account or card has to show the name of the player, valid passport or travel permit number, nationality, photo (in case it is a card), time of entering and leaving the casino, and other information that the casino operator needs.

Each quarter, the casino operator will submit its earning from selling the tickets to play in the casino into the state account at the National Treasury branch of the same administrative unit as the tax authority where the company registered to file its taxes.

All this money will be used by the provincial authority for development investment, social welfare, community development, public security, social order, and at least 60 per cent of it will be for education and training, and healthcare.