Latest news with #TexasHold'em
Bangkok Post
10-08-2025
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Betting on the wrong horse
In times of economic challenge and amid simmering border tensions with Cambodia, Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who doubles as interior minister, has quietly overturned a 67-year-old ban on poker, reclassifying it from gambling to a recognised sport. The sudden move, which happened without public consultation, has sparked criticism and fuelled suspicion about the government's true priorities. The controversy is not over whether poker is inherently good or bad, but the government's motives. Why prioritise this issue when the country is facing far more urgent challenges? Why the haste, and why the absence of a clear public explanation? In Thailand, poker had been listed as a form of gambling since 1958. Against today's backdrop of military clashes and economic instability, it is hardly surprising that many citizens are questioning the government's intent in suddenly changing the rules. This move follows an earlier attempt by the administration to legalise online gambling and entertainment complexes centred on casinos. The effort faced opposition and was eventually withdrawn from parliament. Thus, the abrupt decision to declassify poker from the gambling list inevitably raises suspicions. The government argues that changing the rules on poker will allow Thailand to host international poker tournaments. It also says the game is recognised as a sport in many countries and that several Thais have achieved professional status abroad. Yet the pressing question remains: which domestic safeguards ensure the game will strictly be practised as a sport? Recent months have seen police raids on illegal poker dens in Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya, with hundreds of millions of baht in gambling proceeds seized from both Thai and foreign players. These activities are clearly unrelated to poker as a sport. Will legalisation inadvertently legitimise such operations or send the wrong message that poker gambling is now permissible? While the government defends poker legalisation as an effort to promote a sport, the timing raises questions. Thailand is set to host the 33rd SEA Games in December, yet key budget allocations remain stalled. Although the cabinet has approved more than 2 billion baht for the event, slow disbursement is hindering preparations. For example, a budget request for 450 million baht for the opening and closing ceremonies has been rejected. Instead, the organisers will receive just 45 million baht for both ceremonies. If the government's priority is truly to promote sports, shouldn't the SEA Games, now only four months away, take precedence? Investigations by the Isra News Agency reveal the policy shift followed a request from RF Club Co, Ltd, which represents the entertainment brand World Poker Tour. According to Isra, company's officials met Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong in April to propose hosting a Texas Hold'em demonstration event in Thailand. The order legalising poker as a sport took effect on July 30. Two days later, WPT staged its inaugural demonstration at a Bangkok shopping mall. This sequence has fuelled further concerns over government transparency. No one disputes poker's global status or the potential tourism benefits of hosting poker tournaments. But legalising this game without safeguards, without public engagement, and in the shadow of widespread underground gambling is simply reckless. Without firm regulations, clear communication and a demonstrable commitment to preventing abuse, this hurried decision risks turning a sport into a legal loophole.
News18
29-07-2025
- Business
- News18
Meet Ananth Narayan: The SEBI Insider Behind The Jane Street Crackdown
Last Updated: Ananth Narayan vs Jane Street: In July, Narayan signed SEBI's explosive interim order banning Jane Street from participating in Indian markets Ananth Narayan, a senior official at the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), has become the unlikely face of one of the most high-profile crackdowns in India's financial history. A former derivatives trader turned regulator, Narayan led the investigation into Jane Street, a US-based proprietary trading firm accused of manipulating India's stock markets. Why Did SEBI Ban Jane Street? In July 2025, Narayan signed SEBI's explosive interim order banning Jane Street from participating in Indian markets and freezing Rs 4,843 crore (about $570 million) in alleged illegal profits. The order accused the firm of using high-frequency and expiry-day trading strategies to distort the Bank Nifty and Nifty indices—strategies that reportedly caused significant losses for retail investors. Jane Street, founded in 2000, is a global trading powerhouse known for its algorithmic and quantitative trading, with offices in New York, London, Hong Kong, Amsterdam, and other financial centres. In the order, Narayan didn't hold back. He wrote: 'The JS Group is not a good faith actor… The faith of millions of small investors and traders can no longer be held hostage to the machinations of such an untrustworthy actor." The strongly worded indictment grabbed international attention and sent a clear signal that India is taking a tougher stance on foreign market participants. Narayan stands out within SEBI for his deep roots in trading. Before joining the regulator in 2022, he held senior roles at Deutsche Bank, Citigroup, and Standard Chartered, working across currencies, rates, and derivatives. He is the only SEBI board member with hands-on experience in complex financial instruments—a background that proved crucial in understanding and decoding Jane Street's sophisticated strategies. According to a Bloomberg report, Narayan's expertise allowed SEBI to connect the dots across various departments and identify a pattern of trades that consistently profited at the expense of retail participants. His insight has previously been sought by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to better understand market dynamics. Narayan's path to SEBI began in Kolkata, followed by engineering at IIT Bombay and an MBA from IIM Lucknow. After two decades in the financial industry, he shifted to academia and policy, and eventually to market regulation. Known for his precision and cautious approach, he reportedly keeps a sign in his office that says: 'First, do no harm." Despite his serious public persona, Narayan has a personal side too. According to Bloomberg, he's a fan of Texas Hold'em poker and occasionally plays with former school friends. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
New York Post
18-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Giants vs. Blue Jays predictions, odds: MLB picks, best bets Friday
This just in: In the event that next year's All-Star Game ends in a tie, the game will be decided by a hot dog eating contest, a 40-yard dash, a tug-of-war, a round of Texas Hold'em and a steel cage match. Best three out of five. Start me up. Yeah, if you start me up I'll never stop … and we're back. Stitches has as many wins as future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander this season. Actually, that's not true. We did pick up the 'W' in family Wiffle Ball on the Fourth of July. Chris Bassitt Getty Images The 42-year-old Verlander is 0-7 after 15 starts, but J.V. has been solid, allowing two runs over six innings, seven Ks, no walks, to the heavy-hitting Phillies prior to the break. The Giants are at Toronto, where Chris Bassitt is 6-0 this season. Bassitt has given up one run in his last seven innings. Learn all you need to know about MLB Betting Let's get it started again. Taking Verlander and the Giants for $50. The All-Star Game fiasco left us at -145 rayfosses. Why Trust New York Post Betting The one and only Stitches has been handicapping baseball, daily, for the Post since 2019. Miraculously, he has finished in the black twice. But wait there's more. He showed his versatility by winning the Post's NFL Best Bet crown last year.
USA Today
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Grammys change country categories to separate traditional and contemporary albums
Grammys change country categories to separate traditional and contemporary albums Show Caption Hide Caption CMA Awards 2024: Home Free harmonizes Beyonce's 'Texas Hold'em' While speaking to The Tennessean, country a cappella group Home Free harmonized to Beyonce's hit song "Texas Hold'em" at 2024 CMA Awards red carpet. The 2026 Grammy Awards will introduce a significant change: Best country album category has been renamed best contemporary country album, and a new category, best traditional country album, has been added. This change underscores the importance of recognizing the diverse styles within country music and honoring both its modern and traditional roots. Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said the recent comeback of traditional country music deserves its own recognition. 'Country music has evolved in a major way over the past decade, with traditional country experiencing a massive resurgence, growing in popularity and volume," Mason Jr. said. "Traditional country has a timeless, distinct sound that's inspired generations of musicians throughout the years. It's an important part of the country music story and deserves to be celebrated and recognized with intention." The award was initially presented as best country & western album in 1965 and 1966, with Roger Miller as the recipient. It was discontinued in 1967 but revived in 1995 under its current name, best country album. Beyoncé made history at the 2025 Grammys as the first Black woman in the awards' history to take home the award. Mason Jr. said the additional Grammy category for country music allows for more inclusion in the genre. "When it comes to creativity, we don't want to exclude, we want to include," Mason Jr. said. "The Recording Academy wants to celebrate as much beautiful, passionate art as possible. All music is amazing and the uniqueness of its creative process deserves to be honored. As an organization, I want us to be an organization that is able to open our eyes and ears to getting it right as far as offering a spotlight to as many different sounds as we can." Country music's expanding, star-making scope The Nashville country music industry's star-making machine has churned out a steady stream of chart-toppers in the past five years. One-fifth of gold and platinum-selling albums and singles released last year claimed Music City roots, according to 2024 Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) data. Among those hitmakers, Beyoncé, Post Malone, and Shaboozey represent an expanse of sounds and styles, from mainstream genre-bending, soulful ambient pop and hip-hop-influenced mega-hitmaking, that has arguably stretched country's traditional underpinnings in an unprecedented manner. Include established country chart-toppers like Zach Bryan, Luke Combs, Kacey Musgraves, and Morgan Wallen, along with performers with strong Nashville roots such as Maren Morris, Ed Sheeran, and Taylor Swift. This adds up to roughly a dozen artists, alongside 48 others from various genres, who have achieved year-end Billboard all-genre top-10 success in the past five years. "This action by our members now opens the door for us to celebrate more artists and a wider range of music," Mason Jr. said. "By adding this new category and renaming the Country Album Category, we're creating more space for all the diverse artists who are shaping the future of country music." He added that the proposal was received from those involved in the nomination and voting processes to split the Best Country Album category into contemporary and traditional segments. This change aims to better reflect and celebrate the diverse and expanding landscape of country music. "In general, categorizing music and performance for evaluation and celebration is difficult," he said. "Now, consider how genres and sounds are evolving and changing rapidly (in the modern era). The music industry being more fluid and subjective than ever makes it more challenging to ensure that music can be judged similarly against each other." What separates contemporary from traditional country music? The Recording Academy outlines the new standards and expectations, delineating the difference between the categories as such. Best Traditional Country Album — for albums vocal or instrumental: "Traditional country includes country recordings that adhere to the more traditional sound structures of the country genre, including rhythm and singing style, lyrical content, as well as traditional country instrumentation such as acoustic guitar, steel guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, piano, electric guitar, and live drums," the Academy states. The category includes "sub-genres such as Western, Western Swing, and Outlaw country." Contemporary Country Album — for albums vocal or instrumental: "The Recording Academy and our voters have had many lengthy debates about how production choices impact musical styles," Mason Jr. said. "However, we want to find as many ways as possible to accurately and honestly honor amazing art. If that requires us to make more space, then we do so. Primarily because we recognize that we do not always have the lines that people use to separate genres perfectly defined, we continually need to refine those standards by listening to the individuals who work within those musical communities to serve them best." Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. on 'Cowboy Carter' and the future of country Upon the March 2024 announcement of her eventual Grammy-winning "Cowboy Carter" album, Beyoncé wrote on social media: "This ain't a Country album. This is a 'Beyoncé' album. This is act ii Cowboy Carter, and I am proud to share it with y'all!" Eleven months later, when she was awarded a golden gramophone for her work, she appeared as stunned as anyone about the achievement. "Being inspired by something doesn't always mean that you're singularly focused on copying or emulating it. (On "Cowboy Carter"), country music was one of many outputs that fed into (Beyoncé's) human database, which was regurgitated into a new form that was personal to her life experiences," Mason Jr. said. "Obviously, beyond her intentions, ("Cowboy Carter") was a new, exciting, impactful, meaningful and resonant album for people." Mason Jr. said that he believes that more music pushing boundaries of culture and genre will exist in the "country" space. "Judging and celebrating that music accurately and in a way that authentically represents those musical communities feeling best heard and seen is essential," he said. Recent Country Album of the Year Grammy Award winners In recent years, the need for a clear division in the genre's album categories has become increasingly apparent. Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter" defeated albums by Post Malone, Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson for the Best Country Album trophy. Wilson triumphed a year prior for "Bell Bottom Country," with Willie Nelson, Stapleton, Miranda Lambert and Tanya Tucker claiming victories in the category in the 2020s as well. While accepting the award from Taylor Swift in 2025, Queen Bey said, "Wow, I really was not expecting this. I think sometimes 'genre' is a code word to keep us in our place as artists and I just want to encourage people to do what they're passionate about, and to stay persistent." Who could receive traditional country Grammy nominations? Regarding the next steps for the category, consider how the dozen country-to-crossover stars can blend with breakout contemporary acts like Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, Jelly Roll, Tucker Wetmore, and Bailey Zimmerman. Additionally, think about recent Americana Artist of the Year nominees who favor traditional styles, such as Sierra Ferrell, Billy Strings, Charley Crockett, Joy Oladokun, Waxahatchee, Tyler Childers, Noah Kahan, Allison Russell, Margo Price, Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, and Yola. Whereas the former more distinctly fit in the contemporary lane, the potential for what can happen with contemporary industry artists who are more classic stylists, plus rootsy "Americana" performers in the "traditional" space, is far more intriguing. In 2015, the Recording Academy created the Best American Roots Performance category to address various disparities. This category encompasses all subgenres within the American Roots field, including Americana, bluegrass, blues, folk, and other regional roots music. A sister category, Best Americana Performance, was introduced in 2023. "Those genres are all taking on so much life in respect to the breadth of the diverse cross-section of artists coming into those spaces. It's important to reflect how, over the years, the areas of the world and the stories being told that are represented in those musical spaces has evolved," Mason Jr. said. Of note, Carlile, Russell and Ferrell have won Grammys in the Best American Roots Performance category, while Beyoncé, Childers, Isbell and Kacey Musgraves have received nominations in Americana Performance. Jon Batiste The Blind Boys of Alabama, Sarah Jarosz, Dolly Parton, plus Gillian Welch & David Rawlings are significant names associated with both categories. Roots artists with more defined country leanings could join "traditional" country artists with connections to the Western, Western Swing and Outlaw country scenes to create an impressively diverse and vibrant "Best Traditional Country Album" category offering.
Pink Villa
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Beyoncé Struggles to Sell Out London Show Tickets, Turns to Low-Income Families For Help
Beyoncé is giving out free tickets to low-income families after struggling to sell out her London show. The musician came up with the move to avoid leaving the seats empty at the venue. The strategic move by the Grammy-winning singer and her team comes after the fans were left furious over the prices of the tickets. During the presale, the tickets to Beyoncé 's concert were priced at 620 Pounds, but were later made available at 141.6 Pounds. Moreover, the audiences were also annoyed at their last-minute changed seats. Why is Beyoncé handing out free tickets to her concert? According to the sources close to the Texas Hold'em crooner, they revealed to The Sun, 'Several low-income families in the capital have been offered tickets by food banks, which help feed the needy.' Moreover, addressing the confusion in the ticket pricing, a spokesperson at Ticketmaster revealed, 'Since tickets typically go on sale at least three to six months before the event, organizers may review prices at key points leading up to the show.' The annoyed fans, too, took to their social media platforms to criticize the management of the shows. One of the users shared a screenshot of the message they received from the ticketing platform. It read, 'Due to changes in stage production, your original seats for the Cowboy Carter tour will now have an obstructed view.' It further stated, 'The event organized has accommodated you with new seats in a comparable location on the floor. Your new tickets are in your Ticketmaster account now; your original tickets are no longer valid for entry.' Meanwhile, other fans went on to reveal on social media that they were being given free VIP upgrades. Despite the musician struggling to sell her concert tickets, her newest album was highly praised by the fans and the critics. Moreover, Beyoncé also won a Grammy for her 40 songs set.
