Attending in the seminar is Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Thuan – Vice President of VASS, Associate Prof. Dr. Bui Quang Tuan – Director of IRSD; Mr. Adam Sitkoff – Director of Amcham in Hanoi; Mr. Colin M. Pine –General Director of Ho Tram project in Vietnam and representatives of Governmental Office, National Assembly Office, Central Communist Party Office, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism, VASS’s institutes as well as others..
In Vietnam, gambling industry is divided into two major areas: (1) Legal gambling types which are allowed and patronized by States. They are lottery, bonus electronic games, casinos and betting places; (2) Illegal gambling. Today, there are 64 lottery companies, 8 casinos, 2 places for sport betting, 43 centers of bonus electronic games with award across the country. Among of them, casinos and electronic games with awards are for foreigners only.
On behalf of the research team, Dr. Nguyen Dinh Chuc – Deputy Director of IRSD, who is Project Lead, presented about the research result in summary, including 3 major parts: (1) Research on international experiences of Singapore, Macao (China); (2) Research on practice and implement surveys at centers of bonus electronic games in Vietnam; (3) Socialistic investigation about impacts of gambling and legal casinos. Research team has particularly visited two legal casinos in Vietnam which are The Grand Ho Tram (Ba Ria, Vung Tau) and Lao Cai International Hotel (Lao Cai) and some other casinos at the border with Cambodia because this is one of places received a large number of Vietnamese players,
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The research indicates that the gambling industry and legal casinos have positive influence on economy: (i) Increase budget revenue; (ii) Create more jobs and improve local labor’s income; (iii) Investment and tourism attraction; (iv) Replace services imported, strengthen trade and reduce the flow of foreign currency. The research also points out social impacts of the gambling industry: (i) Reduction of labor productivity; (ii) Increase of organized crime and family problems, indebtedness and bankruptcy; (iii) Increase of psychology issues as autism. The social impacts, however, are not always negative, and international experience has proved the successful control methods.
According to the research result, research team suggested to have a completed legal framework for the gambling industry in general and casinos in particular. In order to build up a legal framework as above, the project proposed that Vietnamese players would be allowed to join in some types of gambling and bonus game in large resorts where are far way from populated urban areas. These places should have the security system and manage players more strictly. Also they need to have training programs for staff and work with local authority to prevent all negative impacts.
By summarizing all above opinions about the report of researchers, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Thuan has highly evaluated the research results which indicated many aspects of the gambling industry in Vietnam, especially the comparison with international experiences and background of research topic. Therefore, the research topic has met the management demand of local industries as well as provided the scientific evidences for Government as advisory to issue suitable policies for the gambling industry in Vietnam in future.
Nguyen Thu Trang
