What changed at the table
In most American poker rooms the dealer pitches the cards: each one is tossed toward a player, usually a few inches above the felt. In slide dealing, also called European dealing, the dealer takes the top card and slides it across the felt to the player. The method has been standard in European cardrooms for years. Casinos.com wrote that European tours such as the EPT standardised it in 2024 and 2025.
What is new is that it is now arriving in Las Vegas cash and tournament rooms. Rooms that use it say the reason is not the look of the game but who can see the cards.
Why rooms are doing it
South Point's poker room manager, Jason Sanborn, told Casinos.com in August that the change is about security. He cited artificial intelligence, smart glasses, cameras and hearing devices, and said he did not think banning electronics at the table was realistic. He sees the slide as the best current protection against exposed cards.
The Venetian gave a similar reason. Its director of poker operations, Tommy LaRosa, said the method reduces the chance of cards being exposed during the deal and adds another layer of security, and that the room wanted to be proactive as technology develops. PokerNews reported that the Venetian began evaluating the method earlier in 2026 and that dealers were retrained and had time to practise before going live. LaRosa said the response so far was positive, with an adjustment period for dealers and players.
How many rooms and tables
PokerNews describes the Venetian as the first Las Vegas Strip poker room to adopt slide dealing and says it has 50 card tables. South Point, a 30-table room a few miles south of the Strip, started first. The sources we read do not say when South Point began using the method at its tables or how many tables are affected. PokerNews wrote that the room started training its dealers first. We therefore describe South Point as the first Las Vegas room to move to the method, without a date for full use.
What supporters say
High-stakes pro Matt Berkey praised the Venetian's decision and said slide dealing can reduce human error and make it harder for cameras to capture hole cards. Daniel Negreanu said on the PokerNews Podcast that it will be much more difficult for cheaters, who will not like it. Matt Savage, the WPT's executive tour director, told Casinos.com the method has worked well in Europe, Australia, Asia and South America. Tournament pro Allen Kessler expects it to become the standard within about a year.
What critics say
Other voices are less sure. Dominic Seibert, a longtime WSOP dealer, argues that cheaters will adapt and that properly trained dealers can pitch so that cards are not seen. Matt Kelley, a mixed-game specialist, called the slide better for teaching new dealers but would not recommend career dealers change their pitch, and noted it has speed limits. A former dealer, Shawn Karmil, estimated that slower dealing would cost many dealers 5 to 10 dollars an hour in tips. Some players expect fewer hands per hour. Sanborn disagreed with the speed concern and said he believes hands per hour will recover, since critics compare experienced pitchers with dealers who are still learning the slide.
What is confirmed and what is not
Confirmed
- The Venetian moved its poker dealers to slide dealing in October 2026 and PokerNews described it as the first Strip poker room to do so. PokerNews, 14 October 2026
- South Point's poker manager said the change was made for security reasons, citing cameras, smart glasses, AI and hearing devices. Casinos.com, 15 August 2026
- Both rooms retrained dealers for the new method. PokerNews and Casinos.com
Still open
- How much slide dealing reduces card exposure compared with a well-executed pitch. No room has published measurements, and a veteran dealer disputes the premise.
- Whether hands per hour fall and by how much. Sanborn expects a recovery, critics expect a lasting drop.
- Whether other rooms will follow. One player quoted by Casinos.com doubted it without a gaming commission requirement.
- The effect on dealers' tips. The 5 to 10 dollar figure is one former dealer's estimate.
What this means for a player
If you play live in Las Vegas, expect the deal to look and feel different at some tables: cards come to you flat on the felt and there is less to glimpse. If you play online, the story is the same idea in another form. Rooms are asking how to stop outside information from reaching a hand, whether it is a camera at a live table or software on a screen. We covered the online side in our articles on third-party software and on the Jurojin compromise.
The part that does not change is your own preparation. Decisions about ranges and stack sizes are made before the cards arrive, and that is where we think a player should spend their study time.
the size of the Venetian poker room that switched to slide dealing, the first on the Las Vegas Strip, according to PokerNews.Source: PokerNews, 14 October 2026
Questions readers ask
What is slide dealing in poker?
The dealer slides each card face down across the felt to a player instead of tossing it. It is standard in many European rooms, also called European dealing.
Which Las Vegas poker rooms use it?
South Point, an off-Strip room, moved first according to the reports. PokerNews described the Venetian as the first Strip poker room to adopt it, in October 2026.
Why did the rooms switch?
Both said it is about game protection. South Point's manager cited AI, smart glasses, cameras and hearing devices. The Venetian said it reduces the chance of cards being exposed during the deal.
Does slide dealing slow the game?
Opinions differ. Some players and dealers expect fewer hands per hour while dealers learn the method, and South Point's manager expects the speed to recover. No measurements have been published.
Does it help against cheaters?
Supporters such as Matt Berkey say it makes it harder for cameras to see hole cards. A veteran dealer argues cheaters will adapt and that a well-trained pitch already hides cards. There is no published evidence either way.
