Vietnam Authorizes VNeID Digital Checks for Casino Entry as New Decrees Raise Fines and Suspension Terms

Vietnam has updated its gaming rules to accept the national VNeID digital identity app as a valid method for casinos to verify player details alongside paper identity documents. Two government decrees tighten screening, recording and enforcement obligations for the country's limited number of licensed venues at a time when most citizens remain barred from gambling.

Decree 392/2026/ND-CP, issued on 20 October, amends prior rules on conditional business lines in the security and public order sector. It takes effect on 15 November 2026. A second decree, Decree 391/2026/ND-CP, introduces administrative penalties and applies from 5 December.

Digital Verification and Restated Operating Rules

Under the amended Article 13 of Decree 96/2016, prize gaming businesses must check customer information on VNeID or identity papers and record full details in a management register. Venues must exclude anyone not permitted to play, display house rules in Vietnamese and a foreign language at entrances, alert police immediately to weapons, explosives or flammable materials, and avoid hiring staff with criminal records for gambling, organizing gambling or loan sharking. Casinos and electronic gaming venues for foreigners must source at least 30% of security guards from licensed security service companies.

Penalties for Entry and Record-Keeping Failures

Casinos face fines of VND180 million to VND200 million for admitting ineligible persons or failing to monitor all entries and exits. These violations can trigger suspensions of six to 12 months on a first offence and 12 to 24 months for repeats. Separate fines of VND130 million to VND150 million apply to organizations for failing to open a register, issue electronic entry cards, keep complete records or store them for the required period. Individuals face half those amounts.

The changes matter because eligible locals may now play only at designated pilots. Under Resolution 8/2025/NQ-CP issued in November 2025, access begins at the Phu Quoc casino project from 26 November 2025, with five-year trials at Ho Tram from the same date and at Van Don once it secures its certificate. As reported by Asia Gaming Brief, precise entry controls sit at the core of these licences.

Enforcement Priorities Ahead

The paired decrees signal a clear regulatory emphasis on verifiable compliance and swift sanctions. Operators at the pilot venues will need to align internal processes with the new digital option and penalty thresholds before the respective effective dates to protect their licences.