Fines for some TV stations broadcasting content promoting illegal betting websites

On April 17, the Ministry of Information and Communications announced penalties for FPT and VTV for broadcasting promotional content and advertising illegal betting websites.

Accordingly, on March 21, 2024, in the live broadcast of the football match between the Indonesian team and the Vietnamese team in the second qualifying round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asia (taking place at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Indonesia), broadcast on VTV5 channel of Vietnam Television (VTV) and on the "FPT Play" application of FPT Telecom Joint Stock Company (FPT Telecom), there appeared promotional images and advertisements for websites with content providing illegal betting and gambling services in Vietnam such as: okvip, fun88... in the form of virtual advertising throughout the match and directly reaching Vietnamese audiences.

After working with relevant agencies and units; based on studying records, documents, and evaluating the details of the case, the Ministry Inspectorate has imposed an administrative fine on VTV of 50 million VND for the act of "Introducing and promoting websites with content that violates legal regulations" and fined FPT Telecom of 85 million VND for the act of "Providing programs and channels on radio and television services with content that is not reported in the press, is not allowed to be distributed, and has prohibited content."

Online betting, wagering, and gambling services and activities may be in compliance with local laws, and therefore may allow these advertisements to appear during sports matches.

However, according to Vietnamese law, these are prohibited services and activities. Therefore, advertising and promoting these services and activities is a violation of Vietnamese law.

Currently, Vietnamese units and enterprises are increasingly implementing activities to purchase copyrights for foreign sports programs; virtual advertising technology based on Dynamic Content Cloning (DCM) applications is increasingly applied, especially at sports tournaments to support brands in directing advertising to their exact customer areas according to geographical areas.

To avoid similar violations on the Vietnamese television system, in addition to reviewing copyright agreement terms to promptly prevent violations from the root, television stations and businesses providing radio and pay television services need technical solutions to promptly detect, prevent, and remove infringing information and images, ensuring strict implementation of Directive No. 16/CT-TTg dated May 27, 2023 of the Prime Minister "On strengthening the prevention and combat of crimes and violations of laws related to gambling and gambling organization."

In the coming time, the competent authorities of the Ministry of Information and Communications will continue to strengthen the management of advertising content posted in newspapers, cyberspace, publications, integrated advertising on postal, telecommunications, information technology products and services, etc. to promptly detect, prevent and strictly handle illegal advertising activities related to gambling and gambling organization activities.