Gamblers in Ho Chi Minh City have found a new playground as cockfight betting rings go online.

Rather than actually attend cockfighting events as in the past, gamblers can now sit back, relax, and watch the battles via the Internet at local gambling dens.

Owners of these clandestine venues need to only open an account that has access to cockfight matches organized at casinos in Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and others from around the region.

Gamblers have the opportunity to watch these fights live and bet on their favorite contenders.

“It’s more thrilling to watch online. You can follow multiple matches at the same time, plus you don’t have to raise a strong rooster,” one 'staker' said.

Posing as coffee shops

One well-known gambling den among bettors is a café near the intersection of Duong Cong Khi with Truong Thi Nhu Streets in Hoc Mon District.

An investigation by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper revealed that the venue is managed by a man named Chinh, who sometimes joins the betting and provides free drinks and lunch for his guests.

On the afternoon of May 18, over 10 stakers gathered in front of two large TV screens to watch cockfights live-streamed from foreign casinos.

Before the fighters began their battles, the gamblers placed their bets.

A man named Thao was in charge of writing down the bets in his notebook, while a woman in her 30s was responsible for handing the money to winners after each fight.

According to Chinh, online cockfight betting is simple.

“Just choose one of the two roosters and name your bet for a minimum of VND300,000 [US$13.2],” he explained.

After a few battles, Chinh complained he had lost several million dong (VND1 million = $44).

Undercover Tuoi Tre reporters said that the gambling den is most crowded at noon, with gamblers coming from all walks of life, from wealthy individuals to workers and bricklayers.

“I am very lucky. Rarely do I lose,” said Tien, a bricklayer, who discovered the secret venue thanks to friends.

It is easy for someone to lose tens of millions of dong, Tien continued, adding that there was no limit to the betting.

“It’s more secure to gamble in this neighborhood, unlike other areas,” he said.

Insiders disclosed that owners of the gambling dens were paid via commissions from overseas casinos for opening their accounts.

The casinos always benefited from their activity whether gamblers won or lost.

Lucky or not?

Another notorious cockfight gambling venue is a café on Le Van Khuong Street, also in Hoc Mon.

On the night of May 20, only one gambler was present, wagering bets of between VND500,000 ($22) and VND 1 million.

One employee typed his bets into a computer and handed money to his guest.

On how to pick a good fighter, the employee claimed that it all depended on luck.

Operating on a larger scale is another coffee shop on Cat Dang Street in District 12, with security cameras installed at the front gate and inside the facility.

While the ground floor often remains quiet, the first floor is usually bustling with dozens of gamblers transfixed by cockfights on multiple TV screens.

A total of four employees assist the operation.

“If you are lucky, you will win. If you are not, it’s back-to-back losses,” another employee elaborated.

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