“Before you agree to advertise something, you have to know what the website is about, don’t you? How can you claim ignorance now!? Are you guys really that careless?”; “Everyone knows, except for the five of you, what a joke! Artists are getting more and more brazen with their advertising.” These are just some of the comments from an audience that has been directly confronting the singers of 'Ngu Ho Tuong' (Five Tiger Generals), a group whose recent music video has landed them in hot water.
The group, composed of singers Ung Hoang Phuc, Khanh Phuong, Lam Chan Huy, Duong Ngoc Thai, and Luu Hung, recently released their debut music video, “Anh em truoc sau nhu mot” (Brothers Through and Through). Viewers immediately noticed that the video was replete with images and logos related to an online gambling website.
What’s more serious is how those involved reacted. Rather than taking responsibility, they engaged in damage control and attempted to cover up their misstep. Khanh Phuong shifted blame to the production team, claiming his failure to review the final cut was just an oversight. Ung Hoang Phuc quietly replaced the video on his social media page with a version scrubbed of the betting logo and denied any involvement in the promotion.
Given the seriousness of the matter, the HCMC Department of Public Security has directed its Division of Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention (PA05) to launch an investigation.
According to lawyer Ngo Viet Bac, the legal definition of “organizing gambling” is broad. It doesn’t require direct participation but can include simply creating the means for others to gamble, such as through advertising, providing links, or designing interfaces. Promoting gambling can be, therefore, a critical link in such an operation. “The police will investigate whether the artists intentionally colluded with the gambling organizers and shared in the profits to ‘assist’ the operation,” he explained.
If collusion is proven, they could face criminal charges for “organizing gambling” under Article 322 of the 2015 Penal Code. If not, they will likely face administrative penalties. “The law makes no distinction or exception for celebrity status when it comes to violations,” the lawyer stressed.
In the wake of the scandal, netizens have been calling out numerous other artists, digging up past photos and performances that suggest connections to online betting sites, activities strictly forbidden by Vietnamese law. The list includes names like Thieu Bao Tram, Ho Quang Hieu, and Chau Khai Phong. Some have issued public clarifications, others have remained silent, and a few have simply laughed it off as something from “the old days”.
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Khanh Hong, Deputy Head of PA05, affirmed that the law is unequivocal. While artists are subject to the laws of the host country when performing abroad, they are still accountable under Vietnamese law if they later use media from those events for promotional content targeting a Vietnamese audience online.
“Artists and celebrities with large followings have a duty to conduct due diligence on the content and events they participate in,” he advised. “They must avoid becoming accessories, intentionally or not, to social ills and illegal activities.”
In an era where harmful content and disguised advertising are cunningly infiltrating cultural products, incidents like this severely damage artists’ credibility and raise serious questions about their legal awareness and social responsibility. It serves as a stark cautionary tale for artists, their management teams, and event organizers. Ethical standards and the public interest must always come first in the collective effort to build a civilized digital environment.
The Division of Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention under the HCMC Public Security Department has issued a warning about common tactics used to promote illegal gambling. These include creating multi-themed social media pages that subtly embed gambling logos, using the influence of celebrities and KOLs for promotion, and luring participants with attractive bonuses and gifts.
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