Vietnam rejects casino operators’ opposition to higher entry fees for locals

Corona Casino said locals represent over half of its customers and contributed 88 per cent of its revenue over the past five years.

Vietnam.- The Vietnamese government has rejected alternative proposals from The Grand Ho Tram and Corona Casino against the rise to the casino entry fee for Vietnamese citizens introduced in August. The Ministry of Finance had opened consultation on a proposal to double the fee for a monthly pass to VND50m ($1,900) and raise the daily ticket price to VND2.5m ($95).

The Grand Ho Tram proposed that the VND50m monthly fee be converted into an annual pass, while maintaining the current VND25m ($949) monthly rate. It said an VND50m annual pass would reduce the effective monthly cost to VND4.2m ($160), or 16.8 per cent of the current fee, aligning with Singapore’s model, where annual passes cost VND60m ($2,300) and daily passes VND3m ($115).

Corona Casino, the first casino in Vietnam open to local players, recommended a daily ticket price of VND1.5m ($57) and a monthly pass costing VND35m ($1,330). It said locals made up 52 per cent of its customers and contributed 88 per cent of its revenue over the past five years and that higher entry fees could lead to a drop in visitation.

However, both recommendations were dismissed by the Ministry of Finance. It argues that higher entry fees are required to prevent those with limited financial resources from gambling.

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Corona Casino said locals represent over half of its customers and contributed 88 per cent of its revenue over the past five years. Vietnam.- The Vietnamese government has rejected alternative…