HANOI: Vietnam has tightened oversight of prize-winning electronic games reserved for foreign players, introducing stricter requirements for managers and clearer licensing procedures under a revised government decree that will take effect in mid-May.
Under the new decree, managers of gaming venues must meet higher professional and legal standards.
They are required to hold at least a university degree and have a minimum of three years’ experience in the sector, while also meeting baseline conditions such as full legal capacity and a clean record free from criminal charges, imprisonment or professional bans.
The decree broadens how businesses can apply for operating licences, allowing submissions to be made in person, by post or online. It also sets explicit timelines for processing applications: the Ministry of Finance will have up to 90 days to review and issue a licence once a complete dossier is received.
If an application is deemed incomplete, companies must be notified within a defined period and given 10 working days to submit additional documentation.
Licensing decisions will continue to involve consultation across relevant ministries and agencies, a step which officials say is aimed at maintaining tighter control over the industry.
The revised framework also introduces more detailed conditions for renewing licences.
Operators seeking extensions must demonstrate that they continue to meet all regulatory requirements, maintain adequate financial capacity, and have not faced repeated sanctions.
Companies that have had their licences revoked or operations suspended twice or more times within the previous decade will be ineligible for renewal.
The government says the changes are intended to strengthen regulatory oversight while improving transparency and efficiency in the sector. — Vietnam News/ANN
