While all international football betting activities remain illegal in Vietnam as of today, informal sportsbooks are mushrooming on city streets to cater to the ‘betting thirst’ of locals during the ongoing 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

The number of patients admitted to hospitals following failed suicide attempts has increased since the start of football’s biggest competition, as police also report of rising theft and robbery rates in big cities.

At an unnamed coffee shop on Tran Quang Dieu Street in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, a bustling atmosphere have been felt since the games kicked off on June 14.

Weathered gamblers could be heard constantly placing high-stake bets of up to VND200 million (US$8,800) each as the bookmaker swiftly jots down nine-figure numbers on her ledger.

“There’s no limit on the value of your bet, and winning money is always paid on the spot at the end of each match,” says Thai, a middle-aged looking man sitting at the table next to ours.

A bookmaker hands out money to winning bettors at a bookmaking coffee shop in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Go big or go home

At this informal betting hotspot, everything about a match can be a subject for betting: from the overall score, the number of corner kicks awarded to both teams, and the number of yellow and red cards booked by the referee.

Five large TV screens are placed around the crowded room for bettors to keep track of ongoing matches, while Internet-connected laptops and computers are also available for those who want to check match stats.

Another, more secretive room of only around 18 square meters is reserved upstairs for ‘VIP’ access, a privilege enjoyed by frequent bettors or those who know how to pull a few strings.

A man who seems to be the bookmaker could be seen holding a thick bundle of money that must contain no less than a few hundred VND500,000 ($22) banknotes.

No bets of under VND1 million ($44) is allowed in this VIP room, but there’s no restriction on age: a boy in his teenage years are among dozens of people testing their luck amidst the suffocating cloud of smoke from burning cigarettes.

Hoang, who just lost VND10 million ($440) from a bet, says he considers himself lucky for not having placed more money on the gamble.

“Luck will be on my side next time,” he brushes off the loss.

A bookmaker hands out money to winning bettors at a bookmaking coffee shop in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Such World Cup-screening coffee shops that also double as bookmakers are not difficult to find these days along the iconic Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal in Ho Chi Minh City.

Despite an order from the Minister of Public Security To Lam for all police units nationwide to stay alert of betting activities during the World Cup season, little progress seems to have been made on this front.

At a bookmaking coffee shop on Truong Sa Street in Phu Nhuan District, two people in police uniforms arrive a few minutes after a match kicks off, but does nothing more than ask customers to move their motorbikes away from the pavement.

After a few words with the shop owner, the two left without causing so much as a little fidgeting among the bettors, who quickly resumed their big money game as if nothing had happened.

Laptops are available for bettors to look up match stats online at a coffee shop in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Suicide, crime rates on the rise

Vietnam’s lawmaking National Assembly on June 14 legalized sportsbook through the ratification of an amendment to its current regulations on sports, including the statute governing sports betting.

However, Vietnamese citizens are still not allowed to wager on matches during the 2018 FIFA World Cup as there are no licensed football betting businesses in the country.

At least two patients have been admitted to hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City following suicide attempts after losing all their money to illegal betting activities, authorities say.

On June 22, Hanoi Police successfully rescued a man who tried to take his own life by jumping off the Chuong Duong Bridge after losing a huge bet.

The number of thefts, robberies and scams reported in major cities has also increased since the start of the football championship.

A patient receives treatment at a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City after a failed suicide attempt due to losing World Cup bets. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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