A prominent Las Vegas Strip resort suffered unexpected technical issues this past weekend, July 26. The outage disrupted slot machines and posed challenges for guests and operators alike. It caused widespread disruptions and left hundreds of guests standing in long lines just to check in and get other services.
There was some speculation that the disruption was due to a cyberattack, although there is no evidence that's the case.
Guests were frustrated by inconveniences like having to pay cash for their meals and having to wait, sometimes hours, for their gambling payouts.
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Visitors expressed concern on social media and review platforms, questioning whether resort-wide upgrades or testing triggered the issue — and whether future glitches were imminent.
The disruption extended through key afternoon hours, slowing cash-out stations and increasing guest traffic at staff-assisted kiosks.
Operational disruption for guests of The Venetian
On Saturday afternoon around 2:45 p.m., guests at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip began reporting slot machine malfunctions and error messages across the gaming floor. Approximately 50 machines, or about 80% of units in some areas, went offline simultaneously.
“Current glitch going on at Venetian/Palazzo. Attendants have to hand pay everyone and they don’t even have close enough staff! Been waiting for HOURS!” wrote one visitor on X (formerly Twitter).
Another said, “The @VenetianVegas has had a pretty significant network outage. Phones are down. Slots are down. Even the little signs telling you the BJ minimums are too high for your budget are offline. Issue is ongoing… peeps are running around shutting off slots.”
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A resort spokesperson said the resort's WiFi went down at around 4:30 p.m.
“We were experiencing an issue with our internet that affected some of our systems at the resort,” a spokesperson for The Venetian Resort Las Vegas told the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Sunday morning. “Our IT team has restored our systems, and the resort is working toward normal operations.”
The Venetian outage didn't last long
While the outage lasted only a short time, it occurred during peak hours and generated frustration among visitors.
The Venetian publicly clarified that this incident was unrelated to cyberattacks, amid a heightened environment of concern following recent ransomware issues at rival casinos.
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Although slot machines are a core amenity, The Venetian’s fundamental hotel and restaurant systems reportedly operated normally, meaning disruptions didn't extend to front‑desk operations or payments. Still, the outage signaled that even high-end luxury venues are vulnerable to internal technical issues.
Tech risks are a growing problem for casinos
This wasn't the first time a Strip resort faced technical disruption:
- Last year, MGM Resorts suffered a system outage across multiple properties, forcing guests to wait up to four hours at check-in counters.
- A global Microsoft/CrowdStrike outage in July 2024 triggered cascading failures across flights, bookings, slot machines, and emergency systems in Las Vegas.
In that climate, even minor outages are treated with heightened attention. The Venetian’s prompt statement underscores sensitivity in the wake of cybersecurity threats and public scrutiny across peer operators.
What happened at The Venetian was short-lived — but it exposed just how fragile complex casino systems can be. In the face of rising cyber risks and guest expectations for seamless digital service, even routine slot upgrades can spiral into operational headaches.
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