Police raiding a hotel near the northern border with China found a casino operating under the guise of an entertainment club, and seized chips worth more than VND301 billion (US$11.4 million).
The Lang Son Province police said Wednesday that 66 people have been charged with gambling and organizing gambling activities, including 48 foreign nationals.
They said that on April 21 they raided Thai Duong Hotel and an international entertainment complex in Hoang Van Thu Commune and caught gamblers who were using chips, each equivalent to one Chinese yuan ($0.15).
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Police bust an entertainment club and found gamblers in Lang Son Province, April 21, 2026. Photo courtesy of Lang Son Province police |
Investigators discovered that the gambling was organized by Thai Duong Entertainment and Tourism Co. controlled by 56-year-old Chinese national Zeng Hua, also known as Tang Hoa.
Besides accommodation, karaoke, and massage services and a shopping center, the company is also licensed to operate games without human intervention such as slot machines, roulette, electronic baccarat, and electronic blackjack.
These are meant exclusively for foreign nationals and overseas Vietnamese, and investigators said Tang Hoa surreptitiously installed tables to offer other games also.
He also set up cameras for surveillance and hired staff to oversee various operations, including dealing, scorekeeping, chip exchange, and payouts, thus essentially acting as the house, they said. The investigation is continuing.
