Latest news with #Shuffle
CairoScene
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
June 26
Shuffle | June 26 - July 9 On this episode of Shuffle, we've brought you a hefty selection of fresh jams that came out over the last fortnight, featuring the likes of Felukah, Zeyne, Kokym, Oualid and more. In this new edition of our bi-weekly multi-genre playlist, 'Shuffle', we've brought you fresh jams from across the region and beyond, featuring new releases from Zeyne, Felukah, and Oualid. Gearing up for her new album, scheduled for release within a few months, NYC-based Egyptian rapper and singer-songwriter Felukah revealed the first preview single, 'Danger'. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Erykah Badu, Felukah revisits the sound of her earliest releases, skimming through influences of soul, R&B and hip-hop. Through playful and cheeky lyricism, she reflects on her status in the scene and calls out her haters with smooth flows. Rising Moroccan artist NISY taps into the Y2K internet nostalgia on her latest bilingual single 'Mindly' from her debut EP 'RIP The Dragon'. Produced by Earthtone and recorded in London, the track blends hyperpop sparkle with UK 2-step and glitchy, garage-infused sounds. Palestinian-Jordanian R&B artist Zeyne has released 'Hilwa', a joyful and powerful single that celebrates her multicultural heritage, and promotes a message of empowerment and self-acceptance for Arab women. Meanwhile, Egyptian rap stars Ziad Zaza and Lege-Cy ventured into a more pop-leaning sound, infused with shaabi and hip-hop influences, with their debut joint single, 'Wala Meen', produced by Ismail Nosrat. Additionally, Palestinian alternative pop artist Kokym returned with 'Mish American', a subversive socio-political commentary on the Westernised perception of Arab identity. The track features samples of Fouad Hijazi's 1970s song 'Mani Frengi'. The playlist features Rita Malek with 'Habba', Bayou and Tawsen with 'Kayani' and ilmond joining Begad on a stripped-down, melancholic tune 'Ensan'. TRACKLIST: Zeyne - Hilwa Begad x ilmond - Ensan Ziad Zaza x Lege-Cy - Wana Meen ft. Ismail Nosrat Dana Salah - Bent Baladek Kokym - Mish American NISY - Mindly Rita Malek - Habba Felukah - Danger Tommy Gun, Glaleo - Taree2 Egbari Marcelina - Sakakkeen Bayou x Tawsen - Kayani Manos x The Synaptik - Infisam Sikeen - Yalla Cahlo Let's Go Oualid x KIDA - Amoura Ayoub Hattab - ATHAR Tania Saleh - Inta Ma Shi Yazeed Fahad - Mali
Irish Examiner
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
BoolaBoom: 13 horns, 10 samba drummers, and a whole lot of Cork attitude
What happens when a 24-piece brass band meets house music? Shuffle, a carnival-esque, anthemic track that wouldn't feel out of place on a dancefloor, and the latest from Cork band BoolaBoom. BoolaBoom is a super-sized brass and percussion big-band – 13 horn players, ten samba drummers and one repinique, to be exact – and a budding collaboration between some of Cork's top jazz musicians and drummers from the Cork City Samba Band. They launched in early 2023, with a legendary first performance. 'Outside the GPO on Paddy's Day,' Darragh 'Doc' O'Connor, a long-standing member of the Cork music scene and chief organiser and conductor, says. 'Hundreds arrived. It got to a stage where we were slightly worried about health and safety, which is always a good sign. There was actually a momentary panic that we were going to be in the newspapers the next day for the wrong reasons. Turns out we got away with it, just about.' The band's members hail from a medley of countries – Ireland, Brazil, France, Chile, the UK, the US and New Zealand, 'we actually also have someone from Waterford which is pretty diverse, we have a rule not to mention the hurling' –to create a symphony of world-class musicianship. Though a small number of hard-working, scene-stealing brass bands already exist in Ireland, BoolaBoom differentiate themselves by playing across myriad genres––house, techno, jazz––as well as eschewing covers in favour of original music. 'Faithless' Insomnia does get a go every so often, though,' O'Connor laughs. 'Has to be said.' Shuffle is the titular track of the band's most recent EP, released in May to acclaim. Their 2024 single Summerhouse, remixed by French house maestro Llorca, also earned praise from the likes of Irish and international music fans; Dan Hegarty to Laurent Garnier, Beta Da Silva to Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy. With O'Connor, BoolaBoom – named for the Irish bualadh 'to strike' and Boom, the sound the Brazilian surdo drums make – are in exceptionally fervent hands. O'Connor, an electronic engineer by trade, boasts extensive knowledge of the Irish music scene and was previously taken notice of by French label Brick Rouge with soulful, jazzy house band Cartoon. 'A jack of all trades' is how he describes himself. 'One who isn't afraid of making phone calls and waving my arms around to keep people to keep people entertained.' Darragh O'Connor, BoolaBoom. Picture: Simon Curran With BoolaBoom, he and the band's members manage to get amongst the people by busking and performing myriad outdoor events, an entirely new skillset from licensed venues. 'You get to play for all the people who would never go into a pub or club,' he says. 'We've actually garnered a decent Indian following, who wouldn't traditionally have pub culture. There was one time when we noticed a few of them on their phones the entire gig, only for them to come up to us and show us that they were on Zoom calls to home, showing them what real live Irish music is like.' Brass bands were thought to have been borne of a few interconnecting sliding doors moments in 19th-century Britain. At the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, the invention of the valve that revolutionised brass instruments meant players returned to civilian life, despite dreams to keep playing. Meanwhile, the Industrial Revolution meant business-minded individuals quickly exploited the new technologies, creating jobs and rising living standards. As such, people gradually lost the opportunity to partake in traditional rural entertainments and pursuits, and so they turned to brass bands to feel alive again. Today's brass bands exist within similar parameters. Speaking to real, human connection in a time when opportunities for such are few. BoolaBoom are regularly described by critics and punters as an excellent festival band – house music icon Kerri Chandler personally asked them to perform with him at his sold-out Cyprus Avenue show after seeing a video of them busking – but perhaps what people really mean is that they remind us of what could be as opposed to what is. As arts funding continues to be compromised, outfits like BoolaBand continue to open their doors for anyone to receive a free education. All they ask for in return is for us to listen. 'We always say what we want to do is play good gigs to as many people as we can,' O'Connor says. 'And as a 24-piece band, the money is rarely good, if anything. That said, our payment is in dopamine, craic and playing good music. And once that continues on, we'll keep playing.' BoolaBoom will play at All Together Now on August 3. Shuffle is out now. See
ABC News
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
An online casino banned in Australia is streamed live from Melbourne
Four young men are locked in a makeshift prison cell at an undisclosed Melbourne location. Under the watchful eye of several security cameras, the inmates attempt to regain their freedom in an unusual way: by spinning slots on an online casino. It is all part of an online game show run by Shuffle — an Australian-run online casino that is banned in its own backyard. Shuffle accepts cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin to place bets, bypassing banks and other institutions that could provide oversight and transparency to its operations. Under Australian law, online casinos are required to block Australian users from accessing their services. And yet key executives at Shuffle are gambling on the company's own live broadcasts, plainly located in Australia as they do so. Ishan Haque has been central in the casino's marketing efforts, which have included recruiting an army of what he calls "micro-influencers". He was one of the four men locked in the fake prison cell: his three co-conspirators were all gambling streamers based in the US who had flown to Melbourne to take part in the stunt. When not participating in special events, the casino's affiliated streamers broadcast themselves gambling from their bedrooms and, in some cases, purpose-built studios. They ride the highs and lows, yelling over the microphone as they win and lose. Some regularly complain that they can not afford to pay rent and beg their audience for more money to gamble with. "They might have 9,000 followers," Haque explained in a rare podcast appearance with gambling investor Tom Waterhouse, "but they're highly engaging in the community". As affiliates of the casino, these streamers are entitled to a cut of the money lost by players they have referred to Shuffle. This sets up a complicated dynamic: the more their fans lose, the more the streamers stand to gain. Mark R Johnson, a gaming culture researcher at the University of Sydney, has watched dozens of hours of gambling live streams across various online casinos. Many streamers demonstrate signs of disordered thinking around gambling, says Dr Johnson, as do the viewers commenting in their live chatrooms. "From an ethical perspective, it's sad to watch these harmful ideas be perpetuated and go unchallenged," he told the ABC. The affiliate relationships offered by online casinos — and the promotion of gambling they represent — have created a "paradigm shift" in live streaming culture, he said. It is no longer a community focused on the shared love of a game: there is now money to be extracted from one's fans. It was Shuffle's much larger Australian-owned competitor, Stake, that brought this form of influencer marketing into the mainstream, signing some of the world's popular streamers to multi-million-dollar deals. Contact Julian Fell at tips@ if you have any information about crypto casinos in Australia. Most Friday afternoons, Haque is at Shuffle headquarters in Melbourne's CBD, hosting the company's weekly lottery. The young entrepreneur wears a black suit and purple tie, and engages in constant patter throughout the broadcast. On a recent week, the jackpot was around $3.8 million — a sign of the casino's growing popularity. Shuffle is accepting around $2 billion worth of deposits each month, according to analytics service Tanzanite. This puts Shuffle among the top five "crypto casinos" globally, just two years after its launch. The largest, Stake, processes roughly as many bets as Ladbrokes' global parent company Entain. All this success comes despite the bans on Shuffle and Stake across some of the world's largest online gambling markets: Australia, the US and the UK. "Due to licensing restrictions, we cannot accept players from Australia," visitors are informed when trying to access the site from a blocked region. "If you're using a VPN, please disable it and try again." It is a handy hint — a quick Google search of "VPN" returns pages and pages of results offering the exact product needed to bypass Shuffle's geo-blocker. Many of them are free. By providing a random address in Tokyo, the ABC was able to "verify" its account, instructed to make a deposit in crypto, and even given the option to buy it directly on the site with a credit card (Australian cards are not accepted). There was no proof of residence or identity needed. On the live stream, Haque interacts with viewers in the chat room, wiling away the time until the lottery is to be drawn. Part of the patter involves spinning the slots and giving away the winnings to those watching. All of this is happening from the Shuffle office in Australia, where the service is supposed to be banned. When asked about this practice, Australia's media regulator, ACMA, said it knew of the company but was not aware of its affiliates using its products in Australia. "We will seek additional information from Shuffle about this," said an ACMA spokesperson. Many players around the world have found ways around Shuffle's processes for checking identities and locations. The three streamers who were invited to Melbourne for Shuffle's fake prison game show were all based in the US, where online "crypto casinos" are also banned. Another prominent Shuffle promoter was a 19-year-old Texan resident, who was later charged with hacking and fraud offences in the US. Before his alleged crimes came to light, he was a well-known Shuffle affiliate who often exchanged friendly banter with Shuffle's staff on social media, including co-founder Noah Dummett. There is no suggestion that Shuffle knew about this affiliate's alleged criminality while he was partnered with the casino. Yet another of the casino's former partners was in close contact with Shuffle's owners. In private messages seen by the ABC, she told co-founder Dummett all sorts of things about herself, including her location in Nebraska, while she was gambling on the platform and referring users to it. Properly regulated casinos — both online and offline — are covered by strict anti-money laundering laws, requiring them to "know your customer" when funds are transferred in and out of their accounts. In a public forum post, Dummett claimed the affiliate had used multiple forged ID documents and was therefore banned on the site. "I was not aware of her United States residence," he wrote. "I would've closed her account sooner if I had proof of this." Shuffle and its owners did not respond to multiple requests for comment. While Shuffle is headquartered in a Melbourne skyscraper, it is licensed on the gambling-friendly Caribbean island of Curaçao through a separate business entity. The former Dutch colony offers a favourable tax system to online businesses. Since 2020, businesses in Curaçao pay no tax on income derived from overseas customers — for an online casino, that is almost all of it. Shuffle is registered at an unassuming house on a gravel road in the capital of Willemstad, an address it shares with at least one other well-known online casino. The global nature of these operations makes it difficult for regulators to deal with them. A casino could be operated out of Australia, serve Japanese customers and hold a Curaçao gaming licence — not to mention the streamers promoting them from other parts of the globe. Several online casinos registered in Curaçao have been issued warnings by Australia's media regulator, ACMA, for illegally targeting Australians. Many have had their sites blocked by Australian internet providers at ACMA's request, though usually these do not have geoblocking features and even explicitly advertise to Australian customers. But there are calls for the regulator to go further. In a 2023 report titled You Win Some, You Lose More, a parliamentary committee handed down several recommendations about how to reduce the harms associated with online gambling. The committee recommended blocking transactions to illegal gambling operators, and "stronger sanctions for companies and known individuals who profit from illegal gambling". It also called for better collaboration with overseas regulators, especially in places like Curaçao where illegal sites proliferate. Two years on, little appears to have changed. Australians own and operate three of the world's largest crypto casinos — two of which have made their owners into billionaires, with Shuffle doing its best to make it three. The Australian government has not yet formally responded to the 2023 report.
Mail & Guardian
17-06-2025
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
Online casinos without identity checks threaten the entire industry
Unlike licensed casinos, deposits and withdrawals can be cleared in seconds. 'No-KYC' gambling platforms let players wager without proving their identity — there are no ID or address checks. In practice, these are typically offshore or crypto-based casinos where sign-up takes minutes and players deposit and withdraw funds anonymously. By skipping traditional 'know your customer' (KYC) checks, the mandatory identity verifications used by licensed casinos, these sites promise privacy, speed and simplicity. One cryptocasino review notes players find 'no-KYC casinos easier to use and faster to get started', because the normal onboarding delays are skipped. Such platforms hype instant payouts, large bonuses and 'provably fair' games — with some cryptocasinos (for example already handling over $1 billion in monthly bets. This explosive growth mirrors the wider cryptogambling surge — worldwide, cryptowagers topped $8 billion a month in 2025, nearly double the previous year. Many players are drawn by the allure of anonymity and convenience. No-KYC casinos do not require personal documents, so gamblers retain their privacy and avoid repeated identity checks (often valued by those wary of data breaches or surveillance). Without KYC red tape, deposits and withdrawals can clear in seconds, whereas licensed casinos might hold funds, pending verification. In short, ease of use, rapid transactions and generous bonuses are the key appeals. These features explain why nearly 80% of cryptocasinos tout blockchain-based 'provably fair' games — part of a no-KYC gambling experience. But experts warn that this convenience comes with severe risks. Without KYC, there is no barrier to fraud, other crime and exploitation. Criminals can easily use fake identities or anonymous crypto to launder money or fund terrorism on these sites. Gamblers, especially underage or vulnerable players, slip through the cracks. No age checks means underage betting surges and problem gamblers lack enforced limits. Unregulated sites can also rig games or refuse payouts with impunity and they typically omit the safeguards — deposit limits, self-exclusion tools, verified licensing — that protect players. In short, no-KYC casinos become hotbeds for scams and financial crime. Industry analysts note that such platforms offer 'a perfect environment to commit financial crime'. Regulators around the world echo these concerns. In the UK, the Gambling Commission reports that the number of Britons using unlicensed (often no-KYC) sites has skyrocketed — about 460 000 gambled illegally in 2020, more than double the 2019 figure. These unlicensed operators typically flout AML/KYC rules. UK authorities have responded by targeting them aggressively — in one year, they shut down 264 illegal gambling websites and issued hundreds of cease-and-desist notices. The gambling commission stresses that licensed casinos must perform robust identity and affordability checks, especially for high-stakes gamblers, precisely to prevent money laundering and protect consumers. The commission notes that licensed operators failing to verify customers endanger the entire market's integrity. Beyond Britain, KYC is fast becoming universal for legal gambling. The EU's new digital ID law (eIDAS 2.0) mandates KYC for all iGaming operators via secure identity wallets by 2026. In the US, New Jersey's gaming regulators, for example, require online casinos to verify the date of birth, social security number, address and more of gamblers before they can make any bets. Many African regulators follow suit under anti-money laundering laws, for example, South Africa's Financial Intelligence Centre Act requires casinos to identify customers and report suspicious activity. In short, almost every regulated market now links legal gambling to KYC checks, aiming to detect underage play, prevent crime and ensure fair competition. In practice, no-KYC platforms threaten the broader gambling ecosystem. By diverting players into unregulated channels, they undermine consumer trust and reduce resources for player protection. Legal operators — already burdened by strict anti-money laundering and age-verification procedures — see no-KYC sites undercutting them with big bonuses and zero oversight. This 'black market' gambling often offers rigged odds, no recourse for players and no responsible gaming support. Gaming industry analysts warn that an unchecked no-KYC sector eats away at the legitimacy of online gambling. For instance, licensed operator groups and regulators emphasise that KYC is 'a fundamental protective measure' that preserves a safe and responsible gaming environment. When large numbers of players gamble anonymously offshore, the regulated sector's ability to channel betting into safe, monitored avenues suffers, and with it, government revenue for addiction programmes, legitimate operators' revenue and the overall reputation of gambling as a trustworthy pastime. The consequences are tangible. In 2024, regulators slapped record anti-money laundering fines on gambling companies — more than $184 million globally in just one year — indicating how seriously authorities view compliance breaches. In Lithuania, for example, a chain was fined €8.4 million for failing to stop a money-laundering scheme. These enforcement actions underscore that unauthorised, anonymous platforms draw heightened scrutiny. The higher the profile of gambling in the media as an unregulated Wild West, the greater the risk that governments will impose blanket bans or draconian rules (for example, outright cryptogambling bans or forced shutdowns) — decisions that could affect all gamblers. While no-KYC casinos tempt players with short-term convenience and secrecy, they erode the long-term health of the gambling industry. The global trend is clear — regulators and responsible operators are moving toward more verification, not less. KYC and anti-money laundering checks are now standard in the UK, EU, US and beyond as key defences against fraud, money laundering, underage gambling and other harms. Continuing to champion no-KYC platforms risks fuelling crackdowns that could shut down even legitimate gaming services. Protecting players and preserving the industry's integrity means accepting KYC as a necessary step. In the end, stricter KYC safeguards ensure that gambling can be fun and fair for everyone — a goal that no-KYC anonymity ultimately undermines. Industry reports and regulator publications document the rise of anonymous cryptocasinos and their risks. Regulatory bodies (for example, the UK Gambling Commission and EU digital-identity rules) require KYC to prevent money laundering, underage gambling and fraud. Responsible gambling studies and news analyses highlight how unregulated, no-KYC gambling sites exploit players and threaten market trust. Mduduzi Mbiza is the founder and director of Izmu, an online platform promoting responsible gambling education in South Africa.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Spotify update: how to turn off Smart Shuffle and take back control of your playlists
Spotify update: how to turn off Smart Shuffle and take back control of your playlists Spotify is a digital music streaming service that gives users access to millions of songs, podcasts, and audiobooks on demand (PA Archive) Do you hate Spotify Smart Shuffle? The good news is you can now disable it. Spotify introduced Smart Shuffle in 2023 to encourage people to enjoy more diverse and varied listening. It peppers your shuffled playlists with other songs Spotify's algorithms think will fit into the tone and 'vibe' of what you're listening to. Neat idea, but some people hate it. If you are one of these, here's how to disable it. In the Settings menu within the Spotify app, go to Playback and deselect the Enable All Play Modes slider. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement This change will return your Spotify experience to the traditional model, allowing you to switch between standard linear playback and shuffle — without the risk of accidentally activating Smart Shuffle. It's a useful update for those who take the time to carefully curate their playlists, rather than letting them become a chaotic mix of tracks. It's also beneficial for users who rely on offline playlists while travelling in areas with little or no internet access. Smart Shuffle can interrupt playback in such situations, as the additional suggested tracks require a live internet connection. Are you unsure whether you're using regular Shuffle or Smart Shuffle? The latter is indicated by a star icon alongside the standard shuffle symbol. Tapping the shuffle button while playing a playlist will toggle between the two modes — unless you've already disabled Smart Shuffle, as we've suggested. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement A quick look at Reddit shows many users are relieved to have the option to switch Smart Shuffle off. 'Inserting awful tracks into your playlist — why? The reason I created the playlist was to have only quality tracks that I like,' one Redditor posted shortly after the feature was launched. To be fair to Spotify, Smart Shuffle can be a useful way to discover new artists in genres you might not know as well as you think. Spotify reportedly gained five million new subscribers in the first quarter of 2025 — its fastest growth since 2020. According to the Financial Times, the company is planning to raise subscription prices in Europe and Latin America by around one euro a month later this year, possibly in June. However, it's not yet clear whether UK users will be affected. Spotify's Premium Individual plan costs £11.99 per month.
