Vietnam’s casino market is expanding on the back of strong Korean demand, although the industry is also evolving as player demographics shift, competition intensifies, and operators increasingly adopt digital tools to engage customers.
Scott Choi, head of external marketing at Lion Club, a premium e-gaming club operator in Vietnam, told AGB that Korean visitors remain the dominant customer segment across both integrated casino resorts and urban gaming venues, making them a central driver of growth in the country’s gaming sector. Most casinos in Vietnam operate under a foreigner-only policy, meaning international visitors—particularly from South Korea—form the core customer base for the industry.
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“In Vietnam, whether in integrated casino resorts or e-gaming clubs, Koreans remain the largest customer segment,” Choi said, noting that gaming revenue generated by Korean players has increased over the past year.
While Korean demand continues to anchor the industry, the overall composition of the market has begun to shift slightly as international travel recovers and other visitor segments return. According to Choi, the share of Korean players has edged down modestly as Chinese visitation rebounds, even though the number of Korean customers remains strong.
Despite this shift, Korean demand continues to shape the development strategies of casino operators in Vietnam, with many properties designing their marketing approaches, customer programs, and expansion plans primarily around Korean players.
The broader recovery of tourism and foreign investment has also helped the sector regain momentum following the pandemic. Vietnam welcomed approximately 22 million international visitors last year, including around 4 million from Korea, providing a substantial base of potential gaming customers across the country’s resort and urban gaming venues.
The gaming executive also noted that rising foreign direct investment (FDI) into Vietnam has contributed to gaming demand, particularly as many VIP customers at casinos and e-gaming clubs are business owners or senior executives involved in the manufacturing and trade sectors.
Changing player behavior
As visitation recovers, the profile and spending behavior of Korean players traveling to Vietnam have also begun to evolve, reflecting broader shifts in the regional gaming market.
Choi said the customer base has become increasingly segmented, with a clear divide emerging between high-value players and more price-sensitive mass-market visitors.
“Premium mass and VIP players—often business owners or senior executives connected to manufacturing and regional trade—continue to demonstrate strong betting capacity.”
At the same time, a growing portion of the broader mass segment is paying closer attention to travel costs and promotional incentives when choosing where to play.
Many players now compare airfare, hotel packages, rebate structures, and other benefits before deciding on a destination. According to Choi, this reflects a broader shift toward value-oriented travel decisions compared with the pre-pandemic period, when gaming trips were often driven more by lifestyle experiences.
Integrated resorts vs. e-gaming clubs
Another defining feature of the Korean market in Vietnam is the clear distinction between visitation patterns at integrated resorts and those at urban e-gaming clubs. “While they may be grouped together as Korean gaming demand, from an operational perspective, they represent two structurally different markets,” Choi said.
Large integrated resorts such as The Grand Ho Tram, Hoiana Resort & Golf, and Corona Resort & Casino typically attract Korean visitors traveling as part of leisure trips that combine gaming with golf, dining, and other resort activities.
These visitors generally travel one to three times per year and stay several nights, generating diversified spending across gaming and non-gaming amenities such as hotels, restaurants, spa facilities, and golf courses.
Urban e-gaming clubs, by contrast, operate under a very different dynamic. These venues tend to attract more frequent visitors, including Korean expats living in Vietnam or working in nearby industrial zones, particularly around major cities such as Ho Chi Minh City.
Many customers visit regularly, sometimes several times per week, and their trips are often shorter and primarily focused on gaming activity rather than broader resort experiences.
As a result, revenue at gaming clubs is typically driven more directly by wagering turnover, with higher betting intensity but relatively limited non-gaming spending.
Younger players reshaping the market
Vietnam’s gaming industry is also experiencing a gradual shift in player demographics as younger Korean customers become increasingly active in the market.
“The customer base now includes a larger proportion of younger, mobile-native generations who are more comfortable with digital interfaces, lower minimum bets, and faster gameplay formats,” Choi said.
This demographic shift is beginning to influence gaming preferences as well. While baccarat remains the dominant game among Korean players, slot machines and electronic table games are steadily gaining popularity.
These trends are particularly visible in urban gaming venues, where the faster pace and simplified formats of electronic gaming appeal to younger audiences who tend to prefer flexibility and convenience over traditional casino environments.
Digital transformation across the sector
The changing profile of players has also accelerated digital transformation across Vietnam’s gaming industry. Over the past two years, many operators have launched professionally developed websites and customer-facing mobile applications designed to improve player engagement and streamline communication.
“Whereas communication was previously handled primarily through phone calls, operators now rely heavily on chat platforms, messaging apps, and real-time digital communication tools,” Choi said.
At the same time, competition among operators targeting Korean players has intensified, prompting companies to increase spending on promotions, commissions, and player incentives. “As competition has increased, the level of investment and aggressiveness has clearly grown,” Choi said.
Operators are also competing more actively for experienced hosts and managers who maintain strong Korean player networks, with improved salary structures and incentive programs being offered to attract and retain talent.
Outlook for Korean demand
With future growth in mind, Choi expects Korean visitation and gaming demand in Vietnam to continue expanding as infrastructure improves and regional travel patterns evolve. “I expect visitation to e-gaming clubs and casinos to increase by at least 15 percent over the next 12 months,” he said.
Infrastructure projects such as the upcoming Long Thanh International Airport in Dong Nai Province, southern Vietnam, are expected to further strengthen Vietnam’s connectivity with international markets and support long-term tourism growth. The expansion of direct flights between Vietnam and multiple Korean cities is also likely to make travel more convenient for both leisure and gaming visitors.
Assuming no major external shocks, Choi said he anticipates steady double-digit growth in Korean gaming demand over the coming year, driven by infrastructure expansion, improved air connectivity, and rising awareness of Vietnam as a gaming and tourism destination.
Stable and accessible regional alternative
Beyond demand growth, Vietnam is also strengthening its position among Korean players as a relatively stable and accessible alternative to other gaming destinations in Asia. “When comparing Vietnam with destinations such as the Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore, and Macau, Vietnam is emerging as an increasingly competitive alternative in the region,” Choi said.
According to Choi, relatively lower living costs, familiar food options, and improving hospitality standards make Vietnam an appealing destination for Korean visitors.
The country is also widely perceived as a safer travel destination compared with some competing markets, an important factor for many Korean players when selecting where to travel.
As a result, Choi said some Korean customers who previously traveled to destinations such as the Philippines or Cambodia have increasingly begun choosing Vietnam instead, reflecting the country’s growing reputation as a reliable and attractive regional gaming market.
