Big change coming for Las Vegas poker players at Strip casinos
A change in how, and where, poker players cash out after gambling on the Strip will begin later this week.
Multiple casino operators on the Strip, including Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts International and Wynn Resorts, will only cash out poker chips from their properties, ending any preexisting arrangements for accepting poker chips from other gambling parlors. The change at Caesars and MGM-operated casinos on the Strip will take effect Thursday.
A spokesperson for MGM Resorts, which features four poker rooms inside its Strip casinos, confirmed the policy update Monday. A spokesperson for Wynn and Encore confirmed the sister properties’ policy to cash out only its own poker chips.
The Venetian and Palazzo, which operates the Strip’s largest poker room in the Grand Canal Shoppes, is updating its poker chip exchange policy, too. The changes will go into effect Wednesday.
“The Venetian Resort Las Vegas will no longer exchange casino chips based on poker play from other casinos,” a property spokesperson said Monday. “This policy change is another measure in our commitment to anti-money laundering compliance.”
Caesars Entertainment, operator of three poker rooms inside Strip casinos and host of the World Series of Poker, responded Monday evening that only its branded poker chips are redeemable at its casino cages. Stand-up signs posted around the company’s Las Vegas casino properties said, “As of July 17, 2025, Caesars Entertainment properties will not cash other casinos’ chips from poker play, and our own chips from poker play will not be accepted elsewhere. Please redeem your poker chips prior to leaving the premises.”
The MGM spokesperson said poker chips from one company-operated casino can still be redeemed at other MGM casinos.
On Tuesday, Nevada gaming officials said the change was “industry-driven.”
“We believe this change was a good idea and a great example of our industry actively addressing (anti-money laundering) concerns,” said Mike Dreitzer, chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
Las Vegas poker rooms are a target for money launderers because AML standards are harder to enforce in an environment where players can, and frequently do, exchange chips for cash (and vice versa) without casino involvement.
As it currently stands, the change to poker chip cash-out policy does not appear to extend to chips from other table games, multiple casino company representatives said Monday.
There are 10 poker rooms on the Las Vegas Strip. They are inside the following casinos: Aria, Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Horseshoe, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, Planet Hollywood, Resorts World, Venetian and Wynn.
A previous version of this story incorrectly reported the number of poker rooms on the Strip.
Contact David Danzis at ddanzis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0378. Follow @AC2Vegas_Danzis on X.