越南或将终止禁赌政策

　　亚洲许多国家从中国澳门赌钱开放后的经济繁荣中，看到了博彩业背后的巨大利润空间。开放赌权即意味着允许其他国家的博彩公司在国境内开拓博彩市场。澳门赌王何鸿燊旗下澳博控股公司成功占据了半壁市场。

　　亚洲一些国家看到澳门博彩业的成功后，他们很快开始改变自己的法律政策。新加坡和马来西亚已经率先开放赌权。目前，越南也正考虑对外开放赌权，终止禁赌政策，允许体育博彩合法化。越南政府此举可能带来数百万美元的国家税收。

　　美式足球是一种流行的体育博彩，但亚洲赌客更热衷于国际足球博彩。地下博彩已在亚洲各地流行了数十年，甚至衍生出了丰富的赌博文化，图书市场有很多关乎此类的博彩书籍。越南的国会议员认为，体育博彩投注合法化，不仅可以增加国家财政收入，而且可以减少地下博彩造成的社会弊病。

　　但越南目前面临着一个棘手的法律问题。在越南授权经营的几家赌场中，只允许签证入境的外国人在其中参与赌博，而越南人是完全禁止在赌场内参与赌博的。现在越南财政部部长认为，政府需要改变这个立场。越南总理为此亲自去新加坡考察新加坡的博彩发展模式。

　　不少美国博彩公司目前都在密切关注越南政府的发展情况，如美国拉斯维加斯金沙集团，米高梅度假村，永利度假村公司等，这些博彩公司的高管都把越南看做是世界上又一崭露头角的新兴赌博区。

　　拉斯维加斯金沙集团的首席执行官谢尔登·阿德尔森正试图说服越南官员终止禁赌政策。越南人口超过90万，这是外国博彩公司争相投资的重要原因。

　　译文：

　　Asian countries received a glimpse of what legalized and regulated gambling could bring when Macau opened up their casino gambling industry. Prior to allowing gaming companies from other countries to become licensed in Macau, Stanley Ho and his SJM Holdings company held a monopoly on the activity.

　　When other countries saw the hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue that Macau was making from the newly formed gaming industry, they quickly started to change their own laws. Singapore and Malaysia have been the first to follow suit and regulate casino gambling, and now comes word that Vietnam is preparing to legalize sports betting. It is a move that could bring millions of dollars in tax revenue to the country.

　　American football is a popular betting sport, but for Asian gamblers, their passion is still soccer. Underground betting operations have been around in Asia for decades, but as the culture has come to accept gambling, more and more regulated sports books are being developed. In Vietnam, lawmakers believe that giving bettors a legalized option will help keep people from falling into the social ills created by the underground market.

　　Vietnam has a tricky law on the books regarding casino gambling. Several casinos are licensed in Vietnam, but Vietnamese patrons are not permitted to gamble in the casinos. Only Visa-holding foreigners can bet in the casinos. Now, Vietnam Finance Minister Vuong Dinh Hue believes that the government needs to change its stance.

　　The Prime Minster spent the weekend in Singapore, being introduced to the model Singapore has put in place regarding casino gambling. More importantly for the Vietnamese was Hue's conversations with Singapore officials regarding their sports books.

　　US gaming companies will be keeping a close eye on the developments in Vietnam. US companies such as Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts, and Wynn Resorts, have all expanded into Asia, and executives from these companies view Asia as the up-and-coming gambling area in the world.

　　Sheldon Adelson, CEO of LVS, took the risk of moving into Macau, and that risk helped Adelson and LVS get through the economic recession. Now, Adelson is spending his time trying to convince Vietnamese officials that casino resorts would be beneficial to the country, an assertion that Prime Minister Hue appears to be taking seriously.

　　Vietnam has a population of over 90 million, making the country a key destination for foreign gaming companies looking to succeed in the Asian market.