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England's defeat to Spain in the final of the UEFA EURO 2024 in the early hours of this morning has left many Vietnamese fans deeply saddened and disappointed.

Among these devastated supporters were genuine football enthusiasts who passionately supported England throughout the match, but others were betting heavily on the outcome in the hope of reaping financial rewards.

During the tournament, Vietnamese police busted multiple illicit gambling rings, with bets ranging from over VND1 billion (US$39,300) to approximately VND500 billion ($20 million). These operations led to the arrest and interrogation of dozens of suspects, as authorities sought further information about their networks and the individuals involved.

The question remains: why are so many people drawn to gambling despite the severe penalties?

While gambling may be socially acceptable in some countries, in Vietnam, it is often viewed as a driving force behind ethical corruption and rising crime rates.

The gambling addiction of many Vietnamese parents has caused them to lose sight of their children's welfare, tearing apart many Vietnamese families. Some resort to theft, smuggling, robbery, and even murder to quench their gambling thirst.

Gambling took an even greater toll in rural areas, where people are often hunted down, beaten, and injured due to disputes and deception among gamblers. As gambling-related violence escalates, community cohesion deteriorates.

A thousands-of-years habit

Gambling has been a part of Vietnamese history since time immemorial. Historically, it was allowed as a form of entertainment to help people unwind after a year of hard work during the Lunar New Year and other festivals.

Even then, frequent gambling led to crime and social vices, prompting the government to take measures against illegal gambling.

One of my friend’s father was a gambler despite his constant denials. His gambling led to him being unemployed and rarely around, which eventually resulted in the breakdown of our family. This scenario is all too common among families with members who are excessively involved in gambling.

In Vietnam, on some occasions like parties, men often gather in groups to play cards for small amounts of money. Sometimes, the stakes can be high, with the total value of cash and personal belongings reaching millions of dong, enough to warrant a criminal charge.

Meanwhile, the bigger beats are often seen in football betting. A friend of mine told me about her cousins, who lost several houses and cars to football betting. These assets were worth tens of billions of dongs.

“One of them had to go on the run. He only reappeared when his family was threatened. His parents had to sell their house to pay off his debts,” she said.

Different family situations

My friend has barely seen his father since he was 17 years old. He has to stay away from his family to keep them safe from debt collectors, while his wife swears not to cover his debts again.

He never tells his son exactly how much he has borrowed to gamble. But the figure is believed to be as high as VND10 billion ($394,000), which is too much for his family to live with.

My friend has heard that his dad is now working as a night security guard for an office building operator in Hanoi, earning some VND6 million ($236.40) a month.

His salary, although sometimes late, only provides a minimum standard of living and is barely enough to get by. Another family ruined by gambling is that of my cousin, who took off a few months ago, unable to pay back his gambling debts. Now his whereabouts remain unknown. His wife and kids have been irrationally ostracized ever since.

Since the beginning of the UEFA EURO 2024 tournament, several people have committed suicide leaving their debts for their families to inherit. Gambling can’t be socially acceptable. It’s best to stay out of it. Once we get in, there’s no way out.

Of course, I'm all for cracking down on illegal gambling and enforcing strict penalties.

But no law can deal with a thousand-year-old evil.

These stories should hopefully serve as a deterrent to others, especially our children and the children of gamblers. For those parents who love gambling more than their kids, please get a job and keep yourselves busy. Then you’ll stop thinking about making easy money. You have to think about your family first, not your personal hobby and let it grow into an addiction.