Vietnam has a deep gambling culture that thrives largely outside the law. Officially the government treats gambling as a social ill, and for most of the country’s modern history the state lottery was the main legal option. Yet informal betting is woven into daily life: the illegal so de numbers game, football wagering, and festive dice and card games at Tet are all popular. Cautious reforms since 2017 have introduced a handful of licensed casinos, a narrow sports-betting regime and the modern Vietlott lottery, but the illegal market remains substantial.

A brief history of gambling in Vietnam

Gambling has long existed in Vietnam. The two-digit numbers game so de (lo de) traces its roots to the colonial-era lottery culture of old Saigon and became one of the most widespread forms of informal betting, with players wagering on the last digits of official lottery draws through local bookmakers.

For decades the state lottery was the primary sanctioned outlet. The modern computerised Vietlott lottery launched in 2016, giving players a nationwide legal draw game. Reform of casino and betting policy accelerated from 2017, when Decree 06/2017/ND-CP opened a licensed framework for betting on international football, horse racing and greyhound racing.

  • Vietlott and provincial lotteries - the most popular legal gambling, played nationwide.
  • So de / lo de - an illegal two-digit numbers game tied to lottery results; extremely common despite crackdowns.
  • Football and sports betting - hugely popular but mostly through illegal offshore sites; police regularly bust large rings during major tournaments such as the World Cup.
  • Bau cua tom ca - a festive dice game with animal symbols, played socially during Tet.
  • Bai cao - a three-card game commonly played among family and friends at Tet.
  • Casino games - baccarat, slots and table games at licensed land-based casinos, historically for foreign passport holders and, more recently, eligible Vietnamese citizens under a pilot program.

Social attitudes

Gambling occupies a contradictory place in Vietnamese life. Officially it is discouraged as a source of debt, crime and family harm, and heavy or organised gambling is prosecuted. At the same time, casual betting - especially during Tet - is widely accepted as festive fun and a test of luck for the year ahead. This tension between official prohibition and everyday practice defines the culture.

Most commercial gambling remains illegal. The legal channels are the Vietlott and provincial lotteries, a licensed but limited sports-betting regime (Decree 06/2017), and land-based casinos - the latter now open to eligible Vietnamese citizens at three resorts under a pilot program (Resolution 8/2025). Online gambling is banned, and Decree 147/2024 further tightened rules on casino-style and card-based online games.

18+. Gambling can be addictive. Play responsibly and only where it is legal.

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