  Gamma-ray observations of the Galactic Center (GC) region provide some of the
most sensitive measurements of annihilation signals from dark matter in the
GeV-TeV mass range. We present the first results from 178 hours of VERITAS
observations of a 2 degree region around the GC, taken between 2010 and 2022.
The analysis uses a newly-developed template-based background method, as well
as analysis techniques optimized for observations taken at large zenith angles.
No significant excess is found in any region of interest considered. We derive
model-independent limits on the dark matter thermally-averaged annihilation
cross section which are among the strongest from any indirect detection
experiment for TeV-scale masses.
