A court in Vietnam is dealing with a lawsuit filed by a foreign woman against a casino in Phu Quoc Island City off southern Kien Giang Province for failing to pay her US$1.96 million out of $2.4 million she won in gambling last year.

In her petition submitted on October 11, 2021 to the provincial People's Court, the woman, just identified as T. with Italian citizenship, said she gambled at the Corona Casino, part of the Corona Resort & Casino complex on the island, from May 30 to June 9, 2021 and won a total of VND54.6 billion ($2.4 million).

The casino operator is Phu Quoc-based Kongkon One Member Company Limited (Kongkon), which was hired by the complex’s investor, Phu Quoc Tourism Investment and Development JSC.

After confirming T.’s reward, Kongkon paid her VND10 billion ($440,000) in three installments on May 31, June 7, and June 10, 2021.

Kongkon has since failed to pay the remainder of VND44.6 billion ($1.96 million) to the gambler despite her repeated requests to the casino operator, according to the petition.

T. also said she had sent written notices to the complex’s investor asking for the payment but she has received no reply.

The winner asked the Kien Giang People's Court to order the gambling operator and investor to pay her the remaining reward together with the interest arising thereon from the last installment until the court opens the first-instance trial for the case.

By the date she filed her petition to the court, the interest had amounted to VND1.4 billion ($61,600), according to the petition.

As prescribed in Article 21 of Decree No. 03/2017 of the government on casino business, casino-operating enterprises must promptly pay full prizes to winning gamblers, T. told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

After considering the T.’s petition, the court on January 10 this year issued a case acceptance notice to the relevant parties, including T., Kongkon, and Phu Quoc Tourism Investment and Development JSC, asking them to submit their respective written statements on the case, along with relevant evidence, within 15 days on receipt of the notice.

Any party wanting to extend this period must file a request to the court, clearly stating the reason for its desired extension, the notice said.

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