Vietnam chamber commerce proposes lifting daily betting cap on int’l football, horse racing to $3,800

The draft decree will replace Decree 06, which was issued in January 2017 and took effect in late March the same year, allowing citizens to bet on international soccer games and horse and greyhound races.

Under Decree 6/2017, the government allows one enterprise to pilot international football betting for a period of five years, but it has yet to be implemented in reality.

In its official feedback to the ministry, VCCI suggested two possible approaches: either setting the maximum daily bet at VND100 million per player, or allowing businesses to apply a VND10 million ($380) daily betting cap to each product.

In the draft decree, the ministry raised the current VND1 million ($38) per day limit to VND10 million.

Elevating the maximum betting limit for international football and horse and greyhound races to VND10 million is a positive move, reflecting the growth in average per capita income, according to VCCI.

However, industry stakeholders argued that this increased cap remains out of step with market realities and fails to adequately support the growth of the legal betting industry.

Meanwhile, illegal betting platforms operating in Vietnam are not subject to any wagering limits, leading many players to shift to these illicit sites for a more flexible experience, resulting in losses to the state budget and undermining the effectiveness of regulatory mechanisms.

Under the minitry's draft decree, the maximum betting limit per player is set at VND10 million per day, compared to the previous cap of VND1 million per type of bet.

The ministry noted that an international football match typically offers 10-15 betting options, including predicting scores, numbers of yellow or red cards, corner kicks, and goal scorers. 

The daily cap of VND10 million is meant to discourage excessive gambling.

Participants must be at least 21 years old and open accounts with licensed betting operators. 

All betting, payment, and prize distribution will be conducted through these accounts to ensure identification and control.

Bets will only be allowed on matches and tournaments organized by FIFA or its members, excluding e-sports football and Vietnam Football Federation events. 

Push for more flexible advertising regulations

VCCI also called for a relaxation of restrictions on advertising related to betting.

The chamber suggested allowing betting companies to advertise on digital platforms such as social media, search engines, and mobile apps.

However, it emphasized that firms must control age access, include responsible betting warnings, and adhere strictly to registered content.

As per the ministry’s current draft decree on betting operations, advertising is limited to physical headquarters and official websites.

Advertisements are also restricted to displaying only the name, address, logo, product name, authorized venues, and eligible players.

Another key proposal from VCCI is to allow controlled promotional activities.

These would need approval from the Ministry of Finance, ensuring oversight while giving businesses more tools to attract customers legally.

VCCI hints at raising foreign ownership cap in betting projects

While the ministry’s draft caps foreign ownership in betting businesses at 49 percent, VCCI suggested increasing this to 50 percent.

The chamber explained that a balanced ownership structure could make the sector more appealing to foreign investors and foster stronger partnerships.

Besides, VCCI recommended reducing the contribution by betting firms to the state budget.

Currently, the draft decree proposes that 10 percent of ticket sales revenue after prize payouts must go to the state budget, apart from a 30-percent special consumption tax and 10-percent value-added tax.

Instead, VCCI recommended lowering the state contribution to five percent during the pilot phase of operations.

This would allow betting firms to stabilize revenue before gradually increasing contributions.

These proposals are meant to attract high-spending customers and improve the competitiveness of legal betting businesses against the illegal betting market.