Vietnam

Vietnam's legal framework for gambling and betting is highly restrictive. The majority of gambling activities are prohibited for Vietnamese citizens. However, the government has established specific, regulated exceptions to this general prohibition. 

 State-operated lotteries are legal and widely accessible throughout the country. In a significant policy development, the government issued Decree 06/2017/ND-CP, which launched a pilot program to legalize betting on a selection of international football matches, as well as horse and greyhound racing. This program is operated under strict state control by a single approved enterprise. Additionally, a separate pilot scheme permits Vietnamese citizens who meet stringent financial requirements to enter designated domestic casinos. Despite these regulated channels, many offshore online betting operators accept players from Vietnam. These platforms operate outside of Vietnamese jurisdiction, and the government actively works to restrict access to them through measures such as ISP blocking. Participation in unregulated gambling activities remains illegal under Vietnamese law. 

Vietnam is a substantial market with a population of over 96 million people and a high rate of smartphone and internet penetration. This creates a large, tech-savvy potential user base. There is a pronounced national interest in sports, especially international football leagues like the English Premier League, which fuels significant interest in sports betting. The combination of high demand and a restrictive domestic market influences user behaviour and contributes to the activity observed on international platforms.