# Vietnam lottery industry financial and regulatory scrutiny

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/vietnam-lottery-industry-financial-scrutiny
> Updated: 2026-10-27T03:30:06.000Z. Sources: 11. Developments: 5.

The Vietnamese lottery industry is undergoing scrutiny regarding financial management and hospitality expenditures. The State Audit Office has called for a review of over 21.7 billion VND in guest reception expenses incurred by lottery companies in Hau Giang, Soc Trang, and Can Tho during 2024 and 2025. While these companies reported significant pre-tax profits—including over 710.4 billion VND for Hau Giang and nearly 941 billion VND for Can Tho—auditors noted that several payment vouchers lacked clear details regarding guests or business purposes. These high hospitality costs are viewed by some as a marketing method to maintain vital agent relationships.

To mitigate industry risks, such as agent debt which reached 7.628 trillion VND in the Southern region in 2025, the Ministry of Finance has proposed tightening financial discipline. This includes a proposal to shorten the debt repayment period for traditional lottery and lotto agents from a maximum of 21 days to no more than 7 days. Additionally, a new decree is being drafted to establish administrative penalties for 19 types of violations, with potential maximum fines of 200 million VND, aiming to align with Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism laws.

Further regulatory expansion includes Decree 389/2026, effective November 30, 2026. This decree introduces penalties for selling lottery tickets to minors and those lacking civil act capacity, with fines for organizations ranging from 20 to 30 million VND. It also targets unauthorized business areas (20–40 million VND), the misuse of state assets (40–60 million VND), and the abuse of promotional programs (40–80 million VND). The decree has met resistance from vendors citing age verification difficulties.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-27: Vietnam implements new lottery business penalties

Vietnam's Decree 389/2026/ND-CP introduces strict penalties for lottery violations, including fines up to 80 million VND, effective November 30, 2026.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-implements-new-lottery-business-penalties

### 2026-10-18: Vietnam to penalize lottery sales to minors under new decree

New Vietnamese regulations effective November 2026 will penalize the sale of lottery tickets to minors, sparking debate among vendors over age verification and the necessity of the ban.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-to-penalize-lottery-sales-to-minors-under-new-decree

### 2026-10-14: Vietnam Ministry of Finance proposes lottery business penalties

Vietnam's Ministry of Finance is proposing new administrative penalty regulations for the lottery business, including potential fines of up to 200 million VND to align with updated anti-money laundering laws.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-ministry-of-finance-proposes-lottery-business-penalties

### 2026-10-11: Vietnamese lottery companies report high profits and significant agent hospitality spending

Three Vietnamese lottery companies reported high profits and significant state budget contributions, despite spending over 21.7 billion VND on hospitality for agents between 2024 and 2025.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnamese-lottery-companies-report-high-profits-and-significant-agent-hospitality-spending

### 2026-09-24: Vietnam lottery industry faces audit and proposed debt reforms

Vietnam's State Audit Office is reviewing 21.7 billion VND in questionable lottery guest expenses, while the Ministry of Finance proposes shortening agent debt terms to manage industry risks.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-lottery-industry-faces-audit-and-proposed-debt-reforms

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Cite as: Vietnam lottery industry financial and regulatory scrutiny. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/vietnam-lottery-industry-financial-scrutiny