A high-profile joint crackdown between Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security and Laotian authorities has taken down a vast transnational online gambling network that facilitated illegal betting worth nearly VND1.3 trillion (approximately US$50 million). The operation, which targeted suspects across both countries, has resulted in charges against 31 individuals and the seizure of substantial electronic evidence.

A coordinated cross-border crackdown:

At the heart of the operation were Mai Anh Viet, 44, of Hanoi’s Dong Da District, and 43-year-old Nguyen Huu Son from Ho Chi Minh City. According to investigators, the two masterminded the gambling scheme by collaborating with a foreign company providing gambling-related infrastructure and services.

Since 2023, Viet is alleged to have recruited multiple Vietnamese citizens and sent them to Laos, where his trusted associates managed gambling websites hosted overseas. These sites operated around the clock in rotating shifts. The organizers reportedly hired others back in Vietnam to promote the platforms and livestream gambling content on social media to attract new users.

On May 19, Laotian police raided several premises in the capital city of Vientiane, seizing 35 mobile phones, 12 desktop computers, and 25 laptops. Twenty-nine Vietnamese nationals suspected of involvement were detained during the operation and later handed over to Vietnamese authorities, alongside all confiscated equipment and documentation.

Simultaneously, Vietnamese police launched a series of coordinated raids across multiple cities and provinces, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Dong Nai, Ninh Thuan, and Phu Yen. Ten more suspects were taken into custody during these searches, with officers recovering additional mobile phones, a desktop computer, and equipment used for livestreaming gambling content.

Operation’s scale and organization:

According to law enforcement, the illegal gambling ring was highly structured. As reported by Tuổi Trẻ, participants tracked player winnings and losses weekly, settled balances with international bookmakers, paid team salaries, and divided illicit proceeds. Investigators estimate that the ring served thousands of users and generated nearly $50 million in illegal gambling activity in just the first five months of 2025 alone.

Both Viet and Son are accused of directing and profiting from the operation. Authorities noted that the ringleaders personally earned profits ranging from hundreds of millions to several billions of Vietnamese dong.

The Ministry of Public Security stated that legal proceedings have been initiated against 31 suspects—27 charged with organizing gambling operations and four accused of illegal gambling participation.

The investigation remains active, with police continuing to track down further suspects and expand their inquiry. The case underscores Vietnam’s ongoing efforts to crack down on cybercrime and enforce its strict ban on online gambling, particularly operations using foreign-hosted platforms.

Online gambling remains illegal in Vietnam, and this case adds to a growing list of high-value enforcement actions in recent years. Officials say such efforts are crucial to combating organized crime, protecting the public, and upholding national cybersecurity.