This archive report was first published on 28 July 2019.
On July 27, 2019, Vietnamese police made a significant breakthrough in their efforts to combat illegal gambling in the country. In a raid on a gated community in the northern port city of Hai Phong, officers from the local police department detained over 380 Chinese nationals who were operating a massive online betting ring.
According to state-run Vietnam Television, the operation, which was run by Chinese nationals, fielded online wagers from Chinese punters on sports betting and ran an illegal lottery. The ring was reportedly worth over $400 million.
Police also confiscated nearly 2,000 smartphones, 530 computers, bank cards, and cash during the raid. The operation is considered the biggest ever in terms of scale and the number of foreigners breaking laws on Vietnam's soil.
While Vietnam has started to loosen its rules on domestic gambling, allowing its citizens to bet in casinos on a trial basis and opening up some sports betting, lucrative illegal operations have mushroomed, prompting a crackdown on domestic gambling rings.
Dozens of people were convicted in Vietnam last year in connection with an online gambling ring run by a senior official in charge of policing internet betting.
