Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance is set to tighten its supervision of casinos by demanding installation of more robust surveillance systems and a 180-day minimum storage requirement of all associated footage.
Dtinews reports that cameras will need to cover all doors, gaming tables, cashiers and other areas in which currencies are handled, with the footage to be stored for at least 180 days afterwards.
This, it said, was due to some regular inspections by the Ministry uncovering violations of rules around those who are permitted to play in the nation’s casinos or who are causing “social disorder”.
The report also claims the Ministry has called on operators to inform them whenever there are changes in management or to their Board of Directors.
Under Vietnam law, locals are not allowed to enter the nation’s casinos with the exception of Corona Resort and Casino in Phu Quoc, which has been part of a pilot program first initiated in 2019. Under the program, locals must be 21 years of age, earn a minimum of VND10 million (US$430) and pay an entry fee to gamble.
It had been intended to include two casinos to start with but the program’s impact has been negligible given the second casino, to be located in Van Don, still hasn’t opened while the aptly named Corona was impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
There have in recent months been calls to expand the program to include other casinos across Vietnam although this recommendation has yet to be adopted by Vietnam’s Politburo.