The Venetian has become the first poker room on the Las Vegas Strip to make the transition to using the slide dealing technique, perhaps setting a trend.
South Point, a poker room with 30 tables a few miles south of the Strip, began training its dealers on slide dealing, which is common in other parts of the world. Doing so sparked a debate within the Las Vegas poker community as to whether other card rooms in the city should follow suit.
Venetian, the second-largest room in town with 50 card tables, is now on board, and many poker players, including Matt Berkey, are praising the decision.
The purpose of slide dealing is to prevent hole cards from being exposed to other players during the dealing process. In the standard pitch method, which is used in most poker rooms across the U.S., some dealers are tossing the cards high enough to make it easy for cheaters to grab a peek at some cards as they’re beeing dealt. PokerNews spoke with Tommy LaRosa, Director of Poker Operations at Venetian, for further details on his card room’s bold move.
Why Venetian Switched to Slide Dealing
Slide dealing prevents players from having any ability to view hole cards during the dealing process as the cards simply slide across the table. LaRosa further explained the method “reduces the possibility of cards being exposed during the deal and adds another layer of security to the game.”
“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 continued.
LaRosa said his poker room, which opened in a new location within the resort two years ago, began evaluating slide dealing earlier this year “as part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen game protection.” But it wasn’t a simple transition. Venetian had to retrain dealers on completely new dealing procedures.
“Our dealers received training and had the opportunity to practice the technique before it was introduced on the floor. The focus was making sure the change was seamless for both our Team Members and our players while maintaining the efficiency and professionalism guests expect from our poker room,” LaRosa explained.
LaRosa understands there is an adjustment period for dealers and players, “but so far the response has been positive.”
“Ultimately, anything that helps strengthen game integrity is something many players appreciate,” the poker room boss said.
LaRosa said his goal with Venetian’s poker room is “to create an environment where players feel confident in the integrity of the game and fully immersed in the experience every time they take a seat.”
Slide dealing will help prevent against cheaters, a statement that Daniel Negreanu agreed with in a recent PokerNews Podcast episode. The Poker Hall of Famer said “it will be much more difficult for cheaters to cheat, so they won’t like it.”
Venetian is one of the top poker rooms in Las Vegas. The room hosts major tournaments, including the $5,000 WPT Venetian Las Vegas Fall Championship starting Nov. 5.
PokerNews Point of View: Teaching Dealers to Slide Cards Would Prevent Cheating