Vietnamese spend $4B a year on lottery tickets

Vietnamese citizens spent $6.8 billion on lottery tickets in 2025, a 10.5% increase from the previous year, according to government data. This amounts to approximately VND1.73 million ($66) for each of the country's 102.3 million residents. The southern region contributed the most to the lottery industry's revenue, accounting for 87.8% of the total, while the central region contributed 4.6% and the northern region contributed 2.2%.

The Vietnamese government operates 63 state-run lottery companies, one for each of its former provinces, which sell tickets through three separate regional markets. The majority of lottery revenue goes to local governments for healthcare, education, and social welfare. The lottery industry paid VND439 trillion ($16.7 billion) into the state budget over 13 years, with more than VND57 trillion ($2.2 billion) contributed in 2025 alone.

Regulators have implemented measures to control the industry, such as capping ticket sales per draw and cracking down on illegal betting games. The industry is credited with providing employment opportunities for around 500,000 poor and disadvantaged individuals.