The Venetian has introduced slide dealing across its 50-table poker room in Las Vegas, changing how dealers distribute cards in an effort to reduce the risk of players gaining unauthorized information through concealed cameras. The casino has become the first poker room on the Las Vegas Strip to adopt the technique, which keeps cards against the felt rather than allowing them to travel through the air.
According to f5Poker, the move follows South Point Casino’s adoption of a similar procedure in August and comes amid broader discussion within the poker industry about protecting live games from technology-assisted cheating. The change has attracted support from some players and poker professionals, while others have questioned whether the unfamiliar technique could affect game speed and increase the demands placed on dealers.
Tommy LaRosa, director of poker operations at the Venetian, said the casino began assessing the method earlier this year before preparing its staff for the transition. The decision forms part of the room’s ongoing efforts to strengthen game security. He also linked the decision to developments in technology, stating: “As technology continues to evolve, we felt it was important to be proactive and adopt a dealing method that helps safeguard the player experience.”
How the New Dealing Method Works
Under conventional pitch dealing, dealers throw cards face-down toward players, briefly lifting them above the table. Although this approach remains standard in many American poker rooms, the movement can create opportunities for someone using a concealed camera positioned near the table to capture information from the cards.
Slide dealing changes that process by keeping the cards close to the felt throughout the deal. Dealers use a shoe and move the cards across the playing surface instead of tossing them through the air. The lower trajectory reduces the opportunity for opponents or recording devices to capture card faces before players receive their hands.
The Venetian’s poker room, which moved to a new location within the resort two years ago, had to prepare its dealers for a different procedure before introducing it on the floor. LaRosa said staff received training and time to practice the technique ahead of its implementation. The casino operates 50 card tables, making the change a room-wide operational adjustment rather than a limited trial.
Previous Cheating Cases Put Camera Risks Under Scrutiny
Concerns about hidden recording equipment have contributed to the growing interest in slide dealing. In 2024, French authorities arrested two men suspected of cheating at Casino Barrière Enghien-les-Bains, located in the Paris suburbs. Investigators alleged that the suspects used miniature cameras concealed in mobile phones to record cards as dealers distributed them.
According to the allegations, accomplices received the footage and helped identify opponents’ cards, with information passed back to the players through microscopic earpieces. Authorities said the suspected East European syndicate had operated across casinos in Europe and collected “several tens of thousands of euros each night.”
A separate account of alleged high-stakes cheating schemes in Europe described a setup involving a player at the table and an outside accomplice receiving a video feed. The alleged arrangement used a microscopic camera positioned beside a phone to capture cards beneath a dealer’s pitch, with the information relayed through an earpiece.
These cases have added to concerns that conventional dealing procedures can leave brief opportunities for concealed devices to capture sensitive information. A dealer’s hands can sit roughly a foot above the table during a conventional pitch, creating a longer potential viewing window than a shoe-based deal.
PokerStars introduced slide dealing at European Poker Tour events in 2025, citing camera-cheating concerns. The move formed part of broader efforts to address electronic devices at tournaments, including tighter restrictions on smart glasses and other equipment that could be used to obtain an unfair advantage. The Venetian’s adoption of the method brings the same approach to the Las Vegas Strip.
Las Vegas Poker Rooms Consider Additional Safeguards
South Point, a poker room with 30 tables located several miles south of the Strip, began training dealers in slide dealing in August. Its decision prompted discussion among local poker players about whether other casinos should adopt the procedure. The Venetian’s subsequent change has added momentum to that debate.
The security measures vary across the city. Station Casinos has prohibited players from placing phones and card protectors on table surfaces at its local poker rooms, although customers can still use their phones. Those restrictions address potential opportunities to position devices near the cards.
Reaction to the Venetian’s decision has been mixed. Supporters, including poker professional Matt Berkey, have welcomed the change, arguing that limiting card exposure can help protect the integrity of live games. Poker Hall of Famer Daniel Negreanu has also backed the approach. He said “it will be much more difficult for cheaters to cheat, so they won’t like it.”
Other players have raised concerns about the practical consequences. Dealers must learn a different technique, and the process could slow games while staff become more familiar with the procedure. Some players have questioned whether the additional time required for dealing could affect the pace of sessions.
The Venetian has acknowledged that adjustment will take time, while maintaining that the change supports its approach to game protection. The room regularly hosts major poker tournaments. Its upcoming schedule includes the $5,000 WPT Venetian Las Vegas Fall Championship, which is scheduled to start on November 5.