Vietnamese authorities have reminded companies running online gaming services to register their businesses or obtain licenses. Those who disregard these reminders will find themselves at risk of facing hefty fines from VND50 million to VND 70 million. That’s about $2,400 to $3,350 based on current exchange rates.
The approval of the Ministry of Information and Communications is required regarding the content and the script of each online game. Companies also need to secure business registration certificates for online gaming services, as well as licenses allowing provisions of these electronic game services. They’re also required to register their respective domain names show proof that they have sufficient technical and financial capacity to run the business in the country and a secure organization structure with enough personnel to run operations.
Meanwhile, companies with electronic games that involve interactions between players and the game server system are required to provide business registration certificates for provision of online game services. Although they don’t need to obtain a license for providing electronic game services and get approval of the game content and script, they are obligated to complete registration procedures and announce the provision of electronic games to the Ministry.
Companies that offer games with interactions among multiple players and no interaction between the players and the game server system, as well as games downloaded from the Internet that does not involve interaction among players and the game server system are also required to abide by the said conditions.
Every license issued by the Vietnamese government will carry different durations of validity depending on what a company requests for, with a maximum period of 10 years.
In addition to the VND30 million to VND50 million fine imposed to those who fail to register their businesses, a VND70 million to VND100 million fine is also on the table for those who provide online games with an expired license or those who don’t have one to begin with.
INDIAN STATE ISSUES NEW ONLINE GAMING LICENSE
Over in India, the government of Sikkim made history by granting the country’s first online gaming license in five years to Future Gaming Solutions India Pvt. Ltd, which formerly went by the name Martin Lottery Agencies Ltd. With the first license in its hands, Future Gaming Solutions plans to go live on the next few days.
There are some caveats that come with the license, none more important than a provision stating that the company can only offer online gaming to IP addresses within the state of Sikkim. Like the United States, where individual states have to pass their own laws legalizing online gambling, the Sikkim government passed the Sikkim Online Gaming (Regulation) Act back in 2008, the first and so far only Indian state to offer legalized online gambling.
