Vietnam’s Da Nang allows cruise ships to open casinos overnight

Friday 8th of January 2016

The city of Da Nang has become the first place in Vietnam to allow international cruise ships to dock overnight and open their onboard casinos to punters, according to local media.

Generally, foreign cruise liners suspend gambling-related onboard services whenever they are in Vietnamese waters, worried local residents may board the ships to gamble - which is not allowed according to law.

However, the Da Nang Department of Culture Sports and Tourism believes allowing casino cruise ships to stay overnight will attract more ships and tourists to Da Nang.

“The services must be allowed to remain open to attract more ships [to Da Nang] and encourage them to stay overnight,” deputy director Tran Chi Cuong told local reporters.

“We have reviewed all relevant legal documents and found no rules that require foreign ships to close certain services when docking in Vietnam,”

Da Nang’s Tien Sa Port is expected to welcome more than 110 cruise ships, with over 100,000 luxury tourists aboard, during 2016.

The decision will take effect in mid January.

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