Hanoi police last month busted a gambling ring that reportedly accepted VND1.6 trillion (US$69 million) in wagers through a multilingual website on an overseas server. On July 30, 13 purported gang members were arrested. Seized assets included $240,000 in cash, eight cars, several computers, phones and other items.
The arrestees faced charges of organizing gambling and gambling, the Ministry of Public Security announced. The police continued to investigate, VN Express reported.
The ring was mainly active in Hanoi, Hai Phong City and Thai Binh Province in the north and Ho Chi Minh City and Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province in the south. Vietnam once looked at gambling as a social evil, but in 2017 legalized sports betting and also allowed some residents to gamble in a casino on Phu Quoc Island. To qualify to enter a casino, locals must be over the age of 21 with a monthly income of at least VND10 million (US$445).
Other forms of gambling remain illegal in the country.
