The Venetian hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip has made waves with the opening of its brand-new, expansive poker room, aptly named?The Poker Room. Unveiled on Thursday, this state-of-the-art facility spans an impressive 14,000 square feet, making it the largest poker room on the Strip. It promises to be a game-changer for poker enthusiasts, offering unparalleled luxury and convenience to all who visit.
New gaming experience for poker enthusiasts:
Located on the second floor of the?Grand Canal Shoppes, this cutting-edge space features 50 live dealer tables, each equipped with USB and USB-C charging ports. In addition to its core gaming offerings, the room boasts a self-service beverage station, its own dedicated restrooms, and kiosks for the casino’s loyalty card program and sports betting.
As the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports, Tommy LaRosa, Director of Poker Operations at The Venetian, emphasized that every element of the new poker room was meticulously designed with the player in mind.?“We want to create a destination that every poker player must play at and everybody in Las Vegas is going to want to play on a daily basis,”?LaRosa stated during the unveiling.
The?grand opening?was a star-studded event, featuring celebrities and Venetian executives who participated in a ceremonial first hand of poker. Grammy Award-winning rapper Nelly and magician Shin Lim, who is set to begin his Las Vegas residency at The Palazzo Theatre in October, joined Venetian’s president and CEO Patrick Nichols and CFO Rob Brimmer at the poker table. Poker professionals such as Scott Blumstein, the 2017 World Series of Poker main event winner, along with Matt Berkey, Farah Galfond, Joey Ingram, and Jamie Kerstetter, were also present to mark the occasion.
The Venetian?has long been known as one of the top poker destinations in Las Vegas, and this new room cements its reputation as a premier location for both professional and recreational players. Previously situated near the sportsbook and Las Vegas Boulevard exit, the poker room has now been relocated to a more accessible position between the Venetian and Palazzo casino floors.
A luxurious gaming experience with innovative features:
While the design of the new poker room bears some resemblance to other top locations, such as the nearby?Wynn poker room, it introduces several?distinctive features?that enhance the overall gaming experience. The room’s aesthetic includes a blue felt and white rail poker table color scheme, complemented by unique carpeting that sets it apart. One standout feature that has returned is the self-serve soda machine and coffee station, a favorite among players, including renowned poker player?Allen Kessler.
The new poker room at The Venetian, announced in February, was designed to be the biggest in Las Vegas. It features?49 tables for various games, including low—and mid-stakes no-limit hold ’em, mixed games, and pot-limit Omaha, providing a comprehensive range of options for players of all skill levels.
The poker room is open 24/7 and offers complimentary alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to all guests. Players also earn $3 per hour in comps while playing cash games. A new addition to the poker room that many players will appreciate is a live streaming?room, which is expected to be operational by the end of the year.
Poker pros applaud the new space:
On the opening day, hundreds of players flocked to the new venue, and the response from poker pros was overwhelmingly positive.?“The room is absolutely beautiful,”?remarked?PokerStars ambassador Maria Konnikova, who was particularly impressed by the facility’s modern amenities, according to?PokerNews. My first impression was the bathroom. I think I was the first poker player to use it, and it was pretty awesome, if I may say so.”
Jon Friedberg, CEO of PokerAtlas, was equally impressed with the new venue, stating,?“I think they did a great job on this room. It’s got all the bells and whistles that a poker room can have — bathrooms in here, the drink station, self-serve drinks, beautiful room, livestream studio. I’m impressed.”