Venetian Introduces Slide Dealing to Protect Poker Games
The Venetian has implemented slide dealing in its 50-table poker room in Las Vegas, altering the method of card distribution to minimize the risk of players obtaining unauthorized information through hidden cameras. This casino has become the first on the Las Vegas Strip to utilize this method, which keeps cards resting on the felt instead of having them airborne.
As reported by f5Poker, this initiative follows a similar procedure adopted by South Point Casino in August and comes at a time when the poker industry is increasingly discussing measures to safeguard live games against technology-assisted cheating.
The new approach has been met with approval from several players and poker professionals, while others have expressed concerns that this unfamiliar technique may slow down the game and raise the demands on dealers.
How the New Dealing Method Works
Standard pitch dealing involves dealers tossing cards face-down toward players, momentarily raising them above the table. While this method is still common in many American poker rooms, the motion can allow individuals with concealed cameras placed near the table to record information from the cards.
Slide dealing alters this procedure by maintaining the cards close to the felt during the deal. Using a shoe, dealers slide the cards across the playing surface rather than throwing them through the air. This lower path minimizes the chance for opponents or recording devices to capture the card faces before the players are dealt 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
The rising popularity of card games has been fueled by worries regarding covert surveillance devices. In 2024, French police detained two individuals accused of fraud at Casino Barrière Enghien-les-Bains, which is situated in the Paris area. Investigators claimed the pair utilized tiny cameras hidden inside smartphones to capture footage of cards as they were dealt.
Reports indicate that partners viewed the video feed to spot rivals’ hands, relaying the data back to the cheaters via minuscule earpieces. Officials stated that this suspected Eastern European group functioned across various European casinos, earning “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
Several miles south of the Strip, South Point, a poker venue featuring 30 tables, initiated dealer training in slide dealing last August. This move sparked conversations among local players regarding whether other casinos should implement similar protocols, a discussion further energized by The Venetian’s recent policy shift.
Security protocols differ throughout Las Vegas. At Station Casinos’ local poker rooms, guests are barred from setting phones or card protectors on the table surfaces, though they remain permitted to use their mobile devices. These rules aim to prevent individuals from positioning devices close enough to view the cards.
Responses to The Venetian’s choice have been divided. Poker pro Matt Berkey and Hall of Famer Daniel Negreanu are among those who support the change, with Berkey noting that restricting card visibility helps safeguard the integrity of live games. Negreanu agreed, stating that the new measures will make cheating significantly harder, ensuring that dishonest players will be unhappy with the outcome.
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.
