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Cheating concerns are growing in online poker and live games alike. Now, poker rooms worldwide are making changes to how they deal.
In Las Vegas, The Venetian has become the first major Strip casino to switch to slide dealing. It is the second Las Vegas casino, after South Point, to move away from traditional pitch dealing.
Why slide dealing curbs cheating risks
Pitch dealing can allow players to see opponents’ hole cards, whether with the naked eye or small hidden cameras. Slide dealing keeps cards on or close to the felt, which minimizes the risk of exposure.
A video posted by Matt Berkey shows that The Venetian has replaced its traditional poker felts with smoother “speed felts” and now slides cards directly from a shoe.
MGM Resorts weighs wider rollout
MGM Resorts is considering slide dealing for all of its poker rooms in Las Vegas and elsewhere.
“We’ve begun initial discussions around slide pitching and are exploring the potential for enterprise-wide adoption across MGM Resorts’ poker operations,” said Sean McCormack of MGM Resorts. “While these conversations are still in the early stages, game integrity and player protection remain priorities for us.”
Savage voices cost and training concerns
Matt Savage, executive tour director of the World Poker Tour and a leader of the Poker Tournament Directors Association, has been reluctant to push for slide dealing.
He previously posted on X, drawing backlash from the poker community: “‘The other side’ is that good dealers fear that it will slow them down and, therefore, cost them money and the casinos revenue.
“They also say that the cheating is such a minuscule issue that changing the entire industry is overkill.”
His stance has softened slightly in recent weeks, but he remains worried about the immediate costs.
“I’m in favor of slide dealing as I have seen it be successful around the world in Europe, Australia, Asia, and South America,” Savage told Casinos.com.
“The challenges of training and retraining those that have been dealing proficiently for many years, plus the costs associated with making the change, are prohibitive.”
Daniel Negreanu, one of poker’s most popular players, backed the change. “It will be much more difficult for cheaters to cheat, so they won’t like it,” he said.
Venetian hosts WPT championship Nov. 5
The Venetian has long been one of the Strip’s most popular poker rooms. It will host the $5,000 WPT Venetian Las Vegas Fall Championship, beginning Nov. 5.
