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The Venetian has become the first poker room on the Las Vegas Strip to switch to the slide dealing technique, a move that could influence other venues in the city. The 50-table room, the second-largest in Las Vegas, follows South Point, a 30-table card room south of the Strip that recently began training dealers in the method.
Slide dealing involves pushing cards flat across the table rather than tossing them, a style already common in other parts of the world. The change aims to stop hole cards from being briefly visible during the deal, a vulnerability some say exists with the traditional pitch method used across most U.S. card rooms.
Tommy LaRosa, Venetian’s Director of Poker Operations, told PokerNews the shift was a proactive step to protect players as cheating methods evolve. He said the technique adds an extra layer of security by minimizing the chance of exposed cards during dealing.
According to LaRosa, Venetian began evaluating slide dealing earlier this year as part of broader efforts to strengthen game protection at its poker room, which relocated within the resort two years ago. Dealers underwent retraining and practice sessions before the method was rolled out on the floor.
LaRosa acknowledged there would be an adjustment period for both staff and players but said feedback so far has been positive. Poker pro Matt Berkey and Hall of Famer Daniel Negreanu have both publicly supported the change, with Negreanu noting it would make cheating considerably harder.
Venetian’s poker room remains a major tournament host, with the $5,000 WPT Venetian Las Vegas Fall Championship set to begin November 5.
