Vietnam proposes legal international football betting limit of $380 per day

The proposal is part of a draft decree on horse racing, dog racing and international football betting, intended to replace the current decree, which was issued eight years ago. Under the new draft, the daily betting limit will be VND10 million, while the minimum bet remains at VND10,000.

Currently, an international football match offers 10–15 betting categories, including score prediction, yellow and red cards, corner kicks and first goal scorer. Previously, players could bet up to VND1 million per category, which is more than the proposed daily cap of VND10 million for all categories combined.

The finance ministry noted that since 2016, when the current decree on betting was issued, Vietnam's per capita income has increased by 1.8 times to about $4,700, and the daily cap is designed to prevent excessive gambling.

Participation conditions would also be tightened: players must be at least 21 years old, have full civil capacity, and open an account with a licensed bookmaker. All betting, payments and payouts must go through this account to ensure proper identification and transaction control.

Currently, only matches and tournaments approved by FIFA or international electronic football competitions (Esports) would be eligible for betting, typically four to eight tournaments per year, lasting 10–30 days. This makes it challenging for businesses to attract investors due to high investment and business costs, and it is difficult to make a profit.

According to the proposal, betting businesses would be allowed to decide which category to offer, based on scores, events, rounds or tournament rankings, and they must be in accordance with business needs, as stipulated in the betting regulations sent to the management agency.

Copyright for using images or match results must be purchased from FIFA or its members, excluding tournaments organized by the Vietnam Football Federation.

For international match schedules, the draft permits online betting due to time differences, allowing operators to determine the start and end times for accepting bets.

Advertising rules would also be relaxed, permitting businesses to display logos and promotional materials on their websites, unlike under the current decree.

The ministry proposes piloting the international football betting market with only one enterprise for five years due to its potential impact on social order and safety.

Authorities have recently cracked down on illegal football betting networks worth thousands of billions of dong. Analysts say that legalizing and strictly regulating the sector could attract investors, reduce illegal betting and increase tax revenue for Vietnam while providing safe and legal entertainment options.