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The Hanoi People’s Court has officially opened one of Vietnam’s largest-ever gambling trials, with 141 defendants facing charges connected to an underground gaming network that reportedly handled wagers worth over VND 2.5 trillion (US$106 million).
The case, which began on October 28 and is scheduled to continue until November 12, centers on the King Club, an electronic gaming venue located inside the Pullman Hotel in Hanoi. Authorities say the operation allowed Vietnamese citizens to gamble illegally, despite having a licence that only permitted gaming for foreigners.
Among those on trial are five defendants charged with organising gambling and 136 others accused of directly participating. The list of accused includes several former senior officials, such as Ho Dai Dung, the former Vice Chairman of the Phu Tho People’s Committee, and Ngo Ngoc Duc, former Secretary of the Hoa Binh City Party Committee. Their involvement has raised significant public concern about the growing intersection between official corruption and illegal gambling operations.
Investigators said the case came to light on June 22, 2024, when police discovered 14 individuals gambling on electronic prize machines inside the hotel. During the raid, officers seized VND 13 billion in cash, around US$1.1 million, and other foreign currencies. Following the arrests, authorities uncovered evidence showing that the illegal activity had been ongoing for several years.
According to the indictment, the King Club was managed by Viet Hai Dang Company, a business legally authorised to operate gaming services for foreign visitors. However, prosecutors allege that from January 2020, the club’s South Korean director, Kim In Sung, along with local managers Nguyen Dinh Lam and Nguyen Truong Giang, allowed Vietnamese nationals to participate in gambling in direct violation of Vietnamese law.
From February to June 2024, hundreds of local players reportedly placed illegal bets under the supervision of the group. Investigators say that the organisers kept all profits from these operations. Kim In Sung is believed to have earned more than US$9.2 million before fleeing Vietnam to South Korea, where Vietnamese authorities currently want him.
The Ministry of Public Security reported that the case exposed serious loopholes in Vietnam’s gaming regulations, particularly in Decree 121/2021, which allows licensed casinos and gaming rooms to serve only foreign visitors. Officials noted that the defendants exploited these weaknesses to run an extensive illegal operation under the guise of a legal business.
Legal analysts expect the outcome of this trial to have a lasting impact on Vietnam’s gambling sector, which has been gradually expanding under strict state oversight. The court proceedings are expected to reveal not only the scale of the gambling network but also the extent of administrative failings that allowed it to operate undetected for so long.
The verdicts, set to be delivered in mid-November, are anticipated to send a strong message about the government’s intent to tighten control over gambling activities and address corruption linked to Vietnam’s growing gaming industry.
