Vietnam mulling plan to allow betting
HANOI - Vietnam is considering a plan to legalize soccer betting in a bid to stop rampant illegal gambling and generate up to $50 million a year for the government, state-controlled media reported Friday. Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper quoted Vice Sports Minister Huynh Vinh Ai as saying his ministry is working on the proposal and will submit it to the government for approval later this year. Betting on soccer is illegal in Vietnam though the country allows gambling on horse and dog racing.
Ai said legalizing soccer betting in Vietnam makes sense as a way to control a huge public phenomenon that has generated multiple scandals in the country's soccer industry.
"In Vietnam, the interests for betting are huge," he said "We therefore need to have a legal formula on betting on soccer matches."
Ai said the government has not yet decided whether to allow bets on only domestic matches or open it to international games.
"We will benefit a lot because [we] can legally manage people who place bets on soccer matches and we can make an estimated profit of [$44 million-$50 million] a year," he said adding the money will be invested to develop soccer and other sports.
Vietnam has had a legal lottery for many years, which generates major revenues for state coffers. If the soccer gambling project is approved by the government, legalized betting will be initially tried out in several provinces over the next year or so, he said.
In January, police arrested Bui Tien Dung, general director of a division under the Ministry of Transport which manages major infrastructure projects, for allegedly placing bets of up to $7 million on European soccer matches, state media reported.
Police are still investigating where he got the money and whether state funds were used.
The Associated Press - March 10, 2006.
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