An iconic Las Vegas Strip resort has replaced traditional poker card pitching with slide dealing, a technique designed to reduce the risk of hidden cameras exposing players’ private cards. The change makes the resort the first poker room on the Strip to adopt the method, following a similar move at another Las Vegas property.
Slide Dealing at Iconic Strip Resort Aims to Prevent Cheating
The Venetian’s poker room has introduced slide dealing, replacing the traditional practice of tossing cards through the air toward players. The change aims to strengthen game security amid growing concerns about increasingly compact camera technology.
With traditional card pitching, a dealer throws each card face down toward a player’s seat. However, a card can briefly lift or turn during the movement. That moment may expose its face to someone positioned to capture the image.
Slide dealing changes that process. Instead of throwing cards through the air, dealers push them across the table’s felt while keeping them close to the surface. This reduces opportunities for players or concealed cameras to capture a glimpse of cards that should remain private.
Tommy LaRosa, the resort’s director of poker operations, told PokerNews that the method reduces the possibility of cards becoming exposed during the deal. He also described it as an additional layer of security intended to protect the integrity of games.
Dealers Received Training Before The New Method
The transition required more than changing how cards move across the table. LaRosa said the poker room began evaluating slide dealing earlier in 2026 as part of its efforts to strengthen game protection. “As technology continues to evolve, we felt it was important to be proactive and adopt a dealing method that helps safeguard the player experience,” he added.
Before introducing the procedure on the floor, management trained dealers and gave them time to practise the technique. The aim was to make the adjustment manageable for employees and players while maintaining consistent dealing procedures.
LaRosa acknowledged that both groups would need time to adapt. However, he told the publication that initial feedback had been positive. The poker room boss added, “Ultimately, anything that helps strengthen game integrity is something many players appreciate,” noting that protecting the integrity of games remained a priority for the room.
The Venetian’s decision follows a similar move at South Point, a Las Vegas property located south of the Strip. South Point began training dealers in slide dealing earlier, bringing the method into discussion among local poker players and industry observers.
The Venetian’s adoption shows a notable change for Strip poker operations. However, it remains unclear whether other major Las Vegas poker rooms will introduce the same procedure.
Poker Community Divided Over Slide Dealing
Reaction to the change has included support from professional players, alongside questions about how the method could affect the pace of games. Poker professional Matt Berkey publicly acknowledged the transition, describing the resort as the first major poker room on the Strip to fully adopt slide dealing.
Berkey shared his thoughts on social media, lauding the strategy and acknowledging how well it was doing. His comments reflected a wider discussion about whether the technique could become more common in American poker rooms.
Per Poker News, poker Hall of Famer Daniel Negreanu has also supported the approach. He said the method would make cheating more difficult, reducing the appeal for anyone attempting to gain an unfair advantage.
Some players, meanwhile, have raised concerns that slide dealing could initially slow the number of hands dealt per hour. Dealers must adjust their movements, and the technique may take time to become routine.
The change comes amid broader industry discussion about protecting private card information during live games. By keeping cards closer to the table, slide dealing aims to limit accidental exposure without relying solely on detecting suspicious devices.
