Cash To No Longer Play at Venetian’s Las Vegas Poker Room

The largest poker room in Las Vegas is following the lead of MGM Resorts and Wynn.

The 59-table Venetian poker room will no longer allow cash to play in games.

The new policy will go into effect on May 1 at 9am.

Players will be required to purchase chips from the dealer or a chip runner. Chips being delivered by a runner will be considered in play.

Players will be required to purchase amounts of $2,000 or more at either the cashier cage in the poker room or the main one on the casino floor by the table game pits.

The new policy is disclosed on a sign placed at the podium by the cash game entrance.

As Chris Grove points out, these moves may be in response to a June 2014 speech from Jennifer Shasky Calvery, Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.

Calvery suggested that casinos find new ways to combat money laundering within their properties.

While this new policy may annoy some no limit players, there is some good news. Also on May 1, Venetian will drop its rake cap to $2. This promotion will run through May 24. The normal rake cap is $4. Venetian does not have a jackpot drop.

Venetian is owned by Las Vegas Sands. Sheldon Adelson, its founder and CEO, is a fierce opponent of online poker and other forms of gambling over the Internet.

Cash still plays at Caesars Entertainment poker rooms. There are no current plans to change that policy.