Request to block illegal gambling and betting advertisements on television

Authorities require radio and television stations, units operating in the television field, and businesses providing pay TV services to immediately implement a number of measures to strengthen management of these activities.

The Department of Radio, Television and Electronic Information said that currently, Vietnamese units and enterprises are increasingly implementing activities to purchase copyrights for foreign sports programs, especially major international football tournaments, to broadcast on pay TV channels and pay TV and radio service systems on the internet to serve the entertainment needs of sports-loving audiences.

However, there is a situation that has arisen recently, in the broadcast signal of the live broadcast program, there are advertising images of electronic information pages (websites) providing online betting and betting services during the match and directly reaching Vietnamese audiences. These advertisements appear on billboards (electronic LED screens) with virtual advertising technology installed around the stadium; on hard billboards in the stands; on the jerseys of players, coaches, and fans.

Online betting, betting, and gambling services and activities may be in accordance with the laws of the host country; however, according to the provisions of Vietnamese law, these are prohibited services and activities. Therefore, in all cases, advertising and promoting these services and activities on television channels and pay television services is a violation of Vietnamese law.

The situation of fraudulent gambling advertising on many websites is still a problem.

Recently, two Vietnamese units, Vietnam Television (VTV) and FPT Telecom Joint Stock Company (FPT Telecom), were fined VND50 million and VND85 million respectively by the Inspectorate of the Ministry of Information and Communications for administrative violations for allowing advertisements about websites providing illegal betting and gambling services in Vietnam such as OKVIP, FUN88, BK8, JUN88... to appear in the live broadcast of the football match between the Indonesian team and the Vietnamese team in the second qualifying round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asia (taking place at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Indonesia) at 8:30 p.m. on March 21, 2024.

Faced with this issue, in order to strictly control the content on the national radio and television system, not to let information and images advertise and promote services, betting, betting, and online gambling activities that violate Vietnamese law as mentioned above, and to strictly implement Directive No. 16/CT-TTg dated May 27, 2023 of the Prime Minister "On strengthening the prevention and fight against crimes and violations of laws related to gambling and gambling organization" , on April 19, 2024, the Department of Radio, Television and Electronic Information (Ministry of Information and Communications) issued a document requesting radio and television stations, television operating units, and pay TV service providers to immediately implement a number of measures to manage this situation.

Accordingly, the Department of Radio, Television and Electronic Information handles, adjusts and supplements provisions to ensure the prevention of violations from the root; Review the process of controlling and processing live television signals received from abroad, strengthen technical solutions with the support of technology to strictly control the content of signal sources, have timely solutions to respond in case of problems that must be handled on the spot to prevent content and advertisements that violate Vietnamese law; Arrange sufficient number of on-air personnel with qualifications to ensure close monitoring of broadcast content according to regulations; Review all programs (including highlights) to eliminate and not synthesize sports information related to matches with illegal advertising content and images related to services and online betting and gambling activities.

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