More than 380 mainland Chinese and Taiwanese people have been detained in Vietnam’s northern coastal city of Haiphong for involving in an online betting ring with bet value at roughly CNY3 billion (US$436 million). 
Police outside Our City - where Chinese gambling operators are located. Photo: Tuoi Tre
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“This case is considered the biggest ever in terms of scale and the number of foreigners breaking law on Vietnam’s soil,” VTV reported.
Police confiscated more than 2,000 smart phones, more than 530 computers, many bank cards, cash, and related documents, the Tien Phong newspaper quoted local police.
The involvers are aged 18 to 24, being hired with monthly salary of CNY3,000 (US$4,360) each for running websites which provide online gambling, including sports betting, lottery for Chinese people.
In Vietnam, most forms of gambling are illegal for locals. In recent years, the country has been used as a venue for online betting rings run by gangs from mainland China and Taiwan.
Vietnam has started loosening its rules on domestic gambling, allowing its citizens to bet in casinos on a trial basis and opening up some sports betting.
But lucrative illegal operations have mushroomed, prompting a crackdown on gambling rings.
Dozens of people were convicted in Vietnam last year in connection with an online gambling ring run by a senior officials in charge of policing internet betting, according to AFP.
Our City urban area was built in 2010 by Hong Kong-based Qiafeng. The 43-hectare zone with investment of US$85 million is advertised to offer high-end apartments, villas, five-star hotels, trade plazas, schools, and hospitals.
However, since entering into operation five years ago, the area has appeared as an isolated zone of Chinese people. Local authorities said strangers are hardly allowed to enter the place.
