The new Venetian Poker Room, set to be the largest in Las Vegas, will open this summer. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Big changes

The Venetian has long been a popular destination for poker players in Las Vegas. Renovations on the poker room are ongoing and when they are complete in the summer, the facility will be the largest of its kind in the city.

one-of-a-kind space”

Located on the second level of the property’s shopping district, the poker room will be 14,000 square feet in size and house 50 tables. The Venetian Director of Poker Operations Tommy LaRosa said that it’s going to look and feel completely different to the current area and will be a “one-of-a-kind space.”

Improving the overall experience

The idea behind moving the poker room from its current casino floor location is to have it nearer to a popular self-parking garage so that it’s easily accessible. Players also won’t have to deal with noise from the casino floor and it will be closer to different restaurant options.

a new room focused on poker streaming

An interesting aspect of the changes is a new room focused on poker streaming. Players will be able to film themselves and the casino can capture footage during cash games and tournaments.

The Venetian Resort Chief Gaming Officer Danny Ruiz believes the changes – including charging ports at every seat – will mark a significant milestone for the property as it continues to evolve its gambling offering. He said the new design will help “provide an elevated playing experience.” Management listened to player feedback before finalizing the plans.

An iconic property

The Venetian Poker Room first opened for business in 2006 and consistently attracts large numbers every year. Its most notable event is the popular DeepStack Poker Series.

The poker room is open daily between 9am and 5am PST. It currently offers 35 tables on a normal day and will remain open until the new location is ready.

Apollo Global Management bought the operations of The Venetian in 2022, with VICI Properties purchasing the real estate assets. The former didn’t waste much time before investing $1bn into remodeling the resort.

This includes spending $188m on upgrading the adjoining convention center, as well as adding more slot machines and a dedicated desk for its new loyalty program. It didn’t reveal how much of the budget is going towards the poker room changes.