Inside Asian Gaming

IAG DEC 2020年12月 亞博匯 78 Second was a long-awaited three-year pilot scheme to allow Vietnamese locals to gamble in three casinos to be granted approval by the Vietnamese government. Only one of those, the unfortunately named Corona Casino on Phu Quoc Island, has opened for locals so far. The Ministry of Finance (MOF) earlier this year released a report recommending further amendments to Decree 03/2017, including the removal of a requirement for casino and integrated resort investors to pay at least 50% of total investment capital for a project before it can be granted its license. According to the Ministry, such a requirement is not feasible for projects being developed in regions lacking infrastructure where the investor may also need to inject further funding into infrastructure improvements. It is alsopushing for casinos tobeallowed toadvertise anywhere within their region rather than only in entry points, such as airports, as per current regulations. While it remains to be seen what impact these measures might have on foreign investors, there has already been considerable movement on the integrated resort front in recent years. The Grand Ho Tram Strip, located two-and-a- half hours east of Ho Chi Minh City by car, became Vietnam’s first international standard integrated resort when it opened in 2013, followed early last year by Corona Resort & Casino on Phu Quoc. Suncity’s US$4 billion Hoiana project near Hoi An recently held an exclusive preview opening of some facilities, including Hoiana Suncity Casino, with the Grand Opening to be held in 2021. There are also another two projects still in the development stage: KN Paradise Cam Ranh Integrated Resort in Vietnam’s KhanhHoa Province, and another in the Van Don Special Economic Zone in Quang Ninh Province. The importance of all five projects to Vietnam’s development is summed up by the Quang Nam FEATURES 步簡化當地的外商投資程序。修訂重點包括在根據各種標準而限 制或排除外資的行業清單中，剔除物流和貨運服務等部分行業， 以及進一步釐清外資所有權上限和併購活動等事宜。 一份由總部位於亞洲、國際綜合性的金杜律師事務所 （King＆Wood Mallesons）撰寫的研究報告提到，「越南政府高層 越來越意識到，政府應積極吸引和選擇高質量的投資項目，而且 重點放在先進潔淨科技和環境保護。」 「政府也越來越認識到越南外資的來源和形式須多樣化，並 加強外資活動與當地市場之間的協同作用，以確保國民經濟處於 自給自足和獨立的狀態。」 「在至2030年的（越南）十年外商投資策略中，已體現這一大 方向⋯⋯這大方向有望在後疫情時期變得更為重要。」 旅遊業是越南政府已制定投資標準的重要行業之一，更具體 來說，是發展高質量的綜合娛樂度假村項目。 越南政府於2017年3月公佈了第2017/03號法令，包括對越 南賭場法的兩項主要補充。首先是下調對外資企業開發綜合娛樂 度假村的最低投資要求，從40億美元削減至20億美元。其次是令 人期待已久的三年試點計劃，允許越南人在政府核准的三家娛 樂場內賭博。到目前為止，只有一家在富國島上的娛樂場Corona Casino（其名稱不幸地與新冠肺炎類近），已開放予當地人玩樂。 越南財政部於今年較早前發表了一份報告，建議對第 2017/03號法令進一步修訂，包括取消對娛樂場和綜合度假村投 資者須落實至少50％的項目總投資金額，才獲批牌照的規定。 財政部認為這一要求對於在缺乏基建的地區中開發項目是 不可行的，因為這些地區的相關投資者可能需要為改善當地基建 注入更多資金。 該報告亦建議允許娛樂場可在其所在區域內的任何地方進 行廣告宣傳，而不是按照現行法規，僅限於機場等出入境檢查點 進行廣告宣傳。 目前仍有待觀察這些措施對外資能夠產生甚麼影響，但近年 來，當地綜合度假村發展方面已出現了相當大的轉變。 位於胡志明市以東兩個半小時車程內的The Grand Ho Tram Strip於2013年開業，是當時越南首個以國際標準打造的綜合度假 村項目。其次是去年初在富國島開業的Corona Resort＆Casino項