A reader, Tran Hieu, recently shared his dilemma. He and his friends often gather to watch the World Cup 2026. To add excitement, he plans to invite everyone to predict scores or winning/losing teams, contributing a few hundred nghin dong each as a bet. He believes this is just a fun form of betting among acquaintances, with small amounts, and should pose no legal issues. However, his wife argues that even a bet of a few hundred nghin dong could lead to administrative penalties, and in some cases, criminal prosecution for gambling.

Tran Hieu sought clarification, asking whether small-stakes football betting for entertainment during the World Cup 2026 with friends and colleagues is considered a legal violation, and if so, what specific penalties apply.

Lawyer Pham Thanh Huu from the TP HCM Bar Association provides legal advice:

Under point c, clause 2, Article 36 of Decree 282/2025/ND-CP, any illegal betting in sports competitions is subject to administrative fines ranging from mot trieu dong to hai trieu dong, if it does not reach the threshold for criminal prosecution. This means that football betting during the World Cup 2026 season, even with small amounts like a few hundred nghin dong or a few chuc nghin dong, will incur these administrative penalties.

Criminal charges apply when the betting amount is 5 million dong or more. Additionally, individuals may face criminal prosecution if the betting amount is less than 5 million dong but they have previously received an administrative penalty for illegal gambling, organizing gambling, or operating a gambling den, or have been convicted of such crimes and their criminal record has not been expunged, yet they commit the offense again. In these instances, offenders face criminal prosecution for gambling under Article 321 of the Penal Code.

The minimum penalty for this offense includes a fine from 20 million dong to 100 million dong, non-custodial rehabilitation for up to ba years, or imprisonment from 6 months to ba years.

More severe penalties, specifically imprisonment from ba years to 7 years, apply if the crime involves any of the following factors:

• Professional nature.
• Money or objects used for gambling valued at 50 million dong or more.
• Use of the Internet, computer networks, telecommunications networks, or electronic means to commit the crime.
• Dangerous recidivism.

Beyond these penalties, offenders may also face an additional fine ranging from 10 million dong to 50 million dong.