Another Las Vegas Poker Room Changes How Cards Are Dealt

The Venetian casino in Las Vegas has switched to sliding cards across poker tables instead of tossing them, following a series of major cheating scandals. The move makes it the latest Las Vegas casino to adopt this method.

Poker professional Bart Hanson shared a photo of a dealer setup with a card box similar to those used at blackjack tables. In this system, dealers slide cards toward players instead of throwing them onto the table. This keeps the cards out of view of other players and of cell phone cameras.

In 2024, European casinos drew attention to the issue when members of "casino gangs" were arrested for using cell phones to secretly film cards as dealers handed them out. In October 2025, another alleged cheating operation came to light, which involved former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and members of a New York organized crime group. Many European casinos no longer allow phones to be brought to the tables. PokerStars also introduced card sliding at its European Poker Tour events last year.

Some of Hanson's followers criticized the Venetian's decision. Some said dealing had slowed down and that the box was impractical. Others argued the change was necessary because the fairness of the game had become a matter of debate.