A pilot programme, in which capable operators implement internationally proven solutions, will help resolve qualms of the Vietnamese government regarding legalising gaming. Michael Kelly, executive chairman of the Board of ACDL and Ho Tram Project Company talked to VIR’s Hoang Anh on the sideline of the Hospitality Investment Conference Vietnam on the benefits of such a programme and how it can be implemented.

Gaming is an unfamiliar territory for the Vietnamese government, which is one of the reasons they have to consider many things before they can decide whether to let Vietnamese citizens gamble. With your 30 years of experience in the casino industry, could you give us some examples of how other governments rolled out local gaming in their jurisdictions?

Over my three decades in this industry, I have worked closely with many local government officials in various jurisdictions to create and foster an environment for the development of a gaming industry in new start-up facilities.

This includes establishing rules and regulations, ethical guidelines, and compliance procedures that not only get implemented, but also being continually updated to foster the best environment for guests, employees, and the company.

Typically, the best roll-outs have been in situations where governments have closely studied the existing environment and behaviours and then worked with reliable and reputable international standard partners to develop a product that meets market needs.

As it stands, The Grand Ho Tram Strip is the only internationally owned and operated casino able to do that in Vietnam right now.

People are quite concerned about possible negative social impacts of legalised gaming in Vietnam. What is your opinion on the management of negative social consequences?

Gambling has always existed and been a part of society.

We see it right now in Vietnam, both in terms of underground, illegal formats, and in terms of a very active cross border trade into Cambodia, Singapore, and Macau.

Developing a pilot programme that will allow operators to implement internationally proven solutions and bring gaming into the light is the answer for this.

The Grand’s management team has extensive experience in jurisdictions such as Macau and Las Vegas, which have some of the highest standards and best social responsibility programmes in the world. 

Why is a pilot scheme essential? What are the benefits that a pilot programme brings to the government and to the nation?

We should look at a pilot scheme as an opportunity for the government to better understand the gaming behaviours of its citizens in a controlled, secure, and regulated environment.

We know that right now, there is an extensive underground gaming industry and a huge amount of capital flight to other jurisdictions from Vietnamese players.

Running a pilot scheme will allow the government to prevent this capital flight, tax the revenues of gaming, and understand the behaviours, demographics and socio-economic status of its players.

It also makes it much easier to manage the social consequences of gaming by having it in a controlled and confined environment, with the highest international standards of management and most stringent levels of international compliance.

Generally, it is preferable to have this away from a major metropolitan area as well. The Grand Ho Tram Strip checks all the boxes and is ready, willing, and able to work with the government on this pilot scheme immediately.

What is the ideal business model to run a pilot programme?

First and foremost, the operator must have the highest international standards of compliance in all areas. Everything from its security features to its ethical compliance need to be absolutely first rate. 

Secondly, it is preferable to have an integrated resort that is located outside of large city centres as gaming destinations; this is proven as the best and safest way for casino gaming to be implemented.

Setting up outside of metropolitan area has an assortment of ancillary benefits for regional areas, as they help to create critical mass for other tourism attractions.

They assist the development of economic growth for the region and generate employment.

At Ho Tram, we presently employ over 1,500 people, the vast majority of whom are from Ba Ria-Vung Tau province. 

In addition to this, the integrated resort model helps to foster new development, spur new infrastructure, new job growth, and promote other regions by creating clusters of activities spurred by foreign direct investment.

The pilot allows the government the opportunity to regulate the gaming industry from a control perspective, monitor economic growth, and allow gaming to become an economic growth engine.