The Venetian Las Vegas Poker Room Adopts Slide Dealing to Combat Cheating

The Venetian Las Vegas poker room has switched to slide dealing to prevent cheating. Poker pro Bart Hanson shared a photo of a dealer setup featuring a playing card shoe similar to those used at blackjack tables. Dealers slide cards to players rather than pitching them, preventing other players and cell phone cameras from viewing them.

This move follows the South Point Casino’s implementation of the European style of dealing in August. In 2024, authorities arrested “casino gangsters” who allegedly used cell phones to secretly film cards as dealers dealt them at various casinos across Europe. In October 2025, another major cheating operation came to light allegedly involving former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and members of New York organized crime.

PokerStars implemented slide dealing at European Poker Tour events last year. Some players criticized the switch at the Venetian, stating that dealers were slow and the shoe was not good. Other players supported the move, stating that it could preserve the fairness of the game. There are lots of cheaters can using a device(phone/phone case/sepcial cloths) to see the cards from the bottom. Some players doubted whether the “Euro slide” would have staying power over the long run.