Vietnam Approves Local Casino Access Pilot at Ho Tram
Vietnam has formally approved a new pilot scheme that significantly broadens legal casino access for domestic players. Under the five-year programme, Vietnamese citizens will be permitted to gamble at selected integrated resorts, including The Grand Ho Tram, with Van Don in the north set to join once operations commence.
The framework introduces a two-stage eligibility threshold for local participation. Vietnamese residents without foreign passports must demonstrate a minimum monthly income of VND10m, equivalent to roughly US$380. Eligible players must then pay an entry fee, priced at VND1m for a 24-hour visit or VND25m for a monthly access pass.
Ho Tram becomes a commercial test case
The Grand Ho Tram already operates a substantial gaming footprint, with around 90 table games and approximately 500 slot machines and electronic gaming terminals. Gaming activity is conducted in US dollars, while domestic customers are able to buy in and cash out using Vietnamese dong.
This structure preserves Ho Tram’s positioning as an international-facing casino while creating a functional mechanism for local participation through currency conversion.
Industry observers note that increased local demand could quickly test operational capacity. Consultants have flagged potential pressure points around gaming floor space, staffing levels and overall service standards should domestic visitation rise sharply, prompting the need for operational scaling.
A stabilising revenue layer
Industry executives and advisers have framed the pilot as a commercially supportive policy shift. Steve Wolstenholme has described the initiative as aligning with Vietnam’s broader economic growth trajectory, while former casino executive Shaun McCamley has highlighted the inherent instability of foreigner-only gaming models.
Investor partner Tim Nguyen has also pointed to the policy’s potential to strengthen the mass and premium mass segments, reducing reliance on high-variance gaming and smoothing revenue volatility.
Building on prior pilots
The Ho Tram programme follows an earlier local-play trial at Corona Resort & Casino on Phu Quoc. Industry reporting indicates that once that pilot concluded at the end of 2024, permanent local access for qualifying players was subsequently approved.
This sequence underscores a broader regulatory pattern in Vietnam, where pilot programmes are used to test controlled liberalisation before longer-term decisions are made.
Regional implications
Vietnam’s approach reflects a familiar challenge across Asian gaming jurisdictions: balancing foreign investment and tourism growth with social safeguards and regulatory oversight. By allowing limited local access under income verification and paid entry, the country is testing a tightly managed middle ground.
The outcome will be closely monitored beyond Vietnam’s borders. A successful rollout could offer a blueprint for neighbouring markets, while operational or social challenges may serve as a cautionary example. Either way, Ho Tram now sits at the centre of a live policy trial with regional significance.
