Vietnamese Airports to Feature Slot Machines

Passengers from around the world traveling to Vietnam or other international destinations via the Asian country could soon get the opportunity to pass the time while waiting for their flight by playing slot machines.

Travelers from around the globe currently spend a lot of time at airports waiting for their transfer and Vietnamese government appears to have find a perfect solution to make that time a bit more interesting.

11 Airports to Introduce Slot Machines

The Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s office announced last Friday that they had agreed in principle to the plan that would introduce slot machines at the country’s 11 international airports.

It was the Airports Corporation of Vietnam that had put things into motion as they clearly saw another great opportunity to increase their revenue that currently heavily rely on restaurants, coffee shops and retail shops.

The Ministry of Finance is in charge of reviewing the proposal and drafting the framework that the government should ultimately approve.

This is also good news for local companies, who will be tasked with installing and maintaining the slots, obviously provided there are no major surprises in the coming months.

The slot machines will be placed in designated airport areas that will only accept passengers due to leave Vietnam or those transiting to other cities in the country.

Vietnam Plan to Allow Locals to Gamble

At the time being, it looks as though Vietnamese residents will not be allowed to access said areas or play slots at the airports, although it is important to note that the government does plan to lift the ban preventing locals from attending the land-based casinos scattered across the country.

Casino gaming is currently legal for foreigners in a total of eight mini-casinos and another 43 slot machine establishments, but the legislation is in place that will allow locals to also play at those venues, although it remains to be seen whether online casinos will also be deemed legal.

As far as gaming at airports is concerned, McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas was one of the first to introduce gambling on its premises, with the Pennsylvania House Gaming Oversight Committee recently confirming that it would allow the introduction of slots at the six airports in the state.