Corona Resort & Casino opens its doors to Vietnamese gamblers

The Corona Resort & Casino on Phu Quoc Island has made history by becoming the first Vietnamese casino to accept local gamblers.

The venue, which opened its doors last Saturday, is one of two casinos taking part in a government-approved trial that could result in permanent changes to Vietnam’s gambling laws.

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Entry into the casino comes with certain rules and requirements.

Vietnamese gamblers have to purchase a ticket at VND 1 million (US $43) to access the casino for up to 24 hours.

The monies accrued from the tickets goes into the budget of Kien Giang Province.

Patrons must be at least 21 years old with a regular monthly income of at least VND 10 million (US $432).

An estimated VND 25 trillion (US $1.1bn) was spent on the first phase of the Corona Resort & Casino complex project.

It consists of 2,000 five-star hotel rooms, 10 coastal villas, a shopping mall, a water park, a convention center and a Vinpearl amusement park.

Other facilities include a theatre, a safari park, a spa, restaurants, bars and an 18-hole golf course.

Upffinity Gaming Management, a Netherlands-based firm, is to oversee the daily operations of the facility.

The CEO of Upffinity, Daniel Kupsin, said the volume of domestic and international tourists has increased in Vietnam and therefore the demand for high-end hotels and entertainment services has increased.

He was happy that Corona had become the first casino for Vietnamese punters, adding that he would work with the authorities to make it a success.