The Grand Ho Tram opens casino floor to Vietnamese nationals

The Grand Ho Tram began admitting Vietnamese nationals to its casino floor on Monday, ending more than a decade of foreigner-only gaming operations at the resort.

Local guests were welcomed from around midday, following approval granted by Vietnam’s central government slightly more than a month earlier. With the change, The Grand Ho Tram becomes one of only two casinos in the country permitted to accept local players.

The other casino open to Vietnamese nationals is Corona Resort & Casino in Phu Quoc. A third development in Van Don has also received approval to allow local gambling under a similar five-year pilot program, although that project is not expected to open until 2032.

All gaming tables and slot machines on the main casino floor at The Grand Ho Tram were available for locals, reports Inside Asian Gaming. The property is located about two hours by car from Ho Chi Minh City, a factor long cited in discussions surrounding domestic casino access.

The move introduces local gaming to a resort that opened in 2013 with an initial investment of $500 million. Since launch, casino operations had been restricted to foreign passport holders under Vietnam’s gaming regulations.

In July 2019, US hedge fund Harbinger Capital sold its majority interest in the resort’s parent company, Asian Coast Development Ltd., to private equity firm Warburg Pincus.

Following the transaction, Warburg Pincus appointed a new management team in early 2020, led by Macau industry veteran Walt Power. The casino, golf course, and selected hotel inventory have remained operational since opening, with casino access previously limited to foreign players.

Once fully built out, The Grand Ho Tram is planned as a $4.2 billion integrated resort with 9,000 hotel rooms, an 18-hole golf course, resort villas, and retail facilities. The property recently broke ground on a $1 billion, 35-hectare expansion that is set to add a five-star hotel complex, luxury villas, entertainment amenities, and an international convention and exhibition center.

The opening of the casino floor to local players places The Grand Ho Tram within Vietnam’s limited pilot framework for domestic casino gaming, a program that continues to be closely monitored by regional gaming operators and investors.