Vietnam tightens ID rules for gamblers while rejecting higher betting limits

Vietnam’s government is preparing to require full identity disclosure from citizens who place legal bets on football and racing, but has refused calls to significantly increase the daily betting cap, keeping wagering firmly in “recreational only” territory.

Vietnam is moving ahead with a new decree that will overhaul the rules for licensed betting on international football, horse racing and dog racing, replacing the 2017 framework. According to a proposal led by the Ministry of Justice and reflected in a draft now before the government, anyone who wants to bet legally will have to provide a full set of personal details when opening an account. That includes their full name, date of birth, nationality, occupation, phone number and both permanent and temporary residential addresses, with the data used not only for basic registration but also to meet the requirements of Vietnam’s 2022 Anti-Money Laundering Law.

Authorities present mandatory identification as a way to remove anonymity from legal betting and bring the sector into line with global financial-compliance standards. Regulators say that stronger ID checks will allow more effective monitoring of betting flows, help detect suspicious transactions and support action against fraud and illicit funds. At the same time, the Ministry of Finance has taken a firm line on how much players should be allowed to risk.

During internal consultations, the Ministry of Science and Technology argued for a sharp rise in the permitted stake, proposing a new ceiling of VND 100 million (about US$3,800) per person per day, or alternatively VND 10 million per betting product, to help licensed operators compete with illegal markets offering effectively unlimited action to high rollers. However, the Ministry of Finance rejected these proposals and decided to keep the existing cap in place. The current draft decree maintains that no bettor may stake more than VND 10 million (around US$380) per day with any single licensed operator, a level officials say better matches Vietnam’s average annual per capita income of roughly US$5,000 and helps prevent excessive gambling that could threaten public order or social security.

Instead of raising limits, policymakers are widening the legal product range in an effort to make the regulated market more attractive without encouraging higher individual risk. Under the revised draft, betting will no longer be confined almost exclusively to tournaments on FIFA’s official list. The scope of permitted events would extend to major competitions organised by UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), CONMEBOL and CONCACAF, as well as domestic leagues and cups in leading football nations such as England, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Brazil and Argentina. The goal is to align legal offerings with the matches Vietnamese fans already follow closely, while keeping the daily stake ceiling unchanged.

The decree also outlines a cautious pilot scheme for international football betting, limiting the market to a maximum of three licensed enterprises selected directly by the Prime Minister under Vietnam’s Law on Investment. Officials stress that this controlled rollout is designed to tackle black-market betting and channel demand into supervised operators, but without opening the door to uncontrolled sector growth. Taken together, the package signals a clear policy direction: more transparency and detailed ID requirements for Vietnamese gamblers, modest product expansion and no increase in financial exposure at a time when authorities remain wary of the social risks linked to betting.