Vietnam lottery firms ordered to halt overseas trips

State auditors said Soc Trang Lottery spent 1.204 billion dong on a 10-day trip for seven people to Europe in 2024, including three company leaders and four officials from the lottery supervision council. The delegation visited France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, but auditors said the itinerary diverged from what local authorities had approved and the company failed to document concrete results, work meetings or proposals to improve lottery management.

Can Tho Lottery spent 1.407 billion dong on two foreign trips to Japan and Dubai for 25 people, including supervisors, executives and high-performing ticket agents. Auditors said the Japan group did not meet with lottery companies as planned and the Dubai group met only one lottery firm, while part of the itinerary was mixed with tourism.

In all, the two operators spent about 2.611 billion dong, or roughly $99,000, on the foreign travel. The State Audit Office has asked Can Tho City to direct Soc Trang Lottery and Can Tho Lottery to stop organizing overseas exchanges that do not serve the companies’ production and business activities under the law.

For investors and lenders in state-linked gambling and entertainment businesses, the immediate issue is governance and cost discipline. The audit underscores the risk that provincial enterprises face regulatory scrutiny when spending drifts away from operations, even in sectors such as lotteries that generate steady cash flow and strong public participation.