Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long has assigned the Ministry of Finance to study special development policies for Phu Quoc and propose allowing Vietnamese nationals to continue accessing casinos in the area beyond the pilot phase.

The directive follows a recent government communiqué reflecting the conclusions made by General Secretary To Lam after a working session with the Standing Committees of the Party Committees of Kien Giang and An Giang provinces. It outlines a range of urgent tasks for ministries and agencies aimed at boosting infrastructure investment and regional development in the Mekong Delta.

As part of these measures, the Ministry of Home Affairs has been instructed to coordinate with relevant agencies to propose a framework defining the functions, duties, and organizational structure of a special administrative unit for Phu Quoc under An Giang province.

In parallel, the Ministry of Finance will study two proposals: formulating and enacting special policies for the development of Phu Quoc, and extending the right for Vietnamese citizens to gamble at casinos located in the area after the pilot program concludes.

During the pilot period, a number of Vietnamese nationals have been allowed to legally access Phu Quoc’s integrated resort casino under government supervision. The consideration to make this permanent could mark a significant shift in Vietnam’s approach to domestic casino regulation.

Beyond the scope of casino policies, Deputy PM Long also urged the Ministry of Finance and other agencies to allocate central budget capital for several large-scale infrastructure projects in the Mekong Delta, including the Tan Chau - Hong Ngu Bridge, highway links to international border gates, and strategic regional connections like the Ton Duc Thang Bridge in Long Xuyen.

He also called for the swift resolution of existing legal and administrative bottlenecks in land and investment management, following the precedent set by Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Khanh Hoa, under Resolution 170.

To prepare for APEC 2027, the Ministry of Finance is tasked with reviewing all related infrastructure projects and coordinating with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Science and Technology to attract strategic investors to the region.

An Giang province is expected to actively update and publicize its investment calling list and integrate it into national and international investment promotion programs. Additionally, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment will continue supporting the region in implementing the “1 million hectares of low-emission, high-quality rice” initiative to ensure food security and improve farmer livelihoods.

Regarding the proposed Rach Gia - Bac Lieu expressway for 2026-2030, An Giang is encouraged to leverage local and private sector funding under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, while requesting early implementation approval from the Prime Minister.

All relevant ministries must report progress or submit unresolved matters to the Prime Minister and the Central Office of the Communist Party for submission to the General Secretary by July 30, 2025.

Thanh Hue