At the SBC Summit Lisbon 2025, Simon Westbury, Strategic Advisor for 1xBet, joined Steve Hoare, editor of SBC’s Player Protection Hub, to discuss the launch of the International Player Safety Index – a new SBC initiative sponsored by 1xBet. The Index aims to compare player protection policies across regions, with the first report focusing on Western Europe.
For Westbury, 1xBet’s involvement in the International Player Safety Index is more than a sponsorship – it’s a statement of intent. “We really want to be seen at the forefront of the discussion around player protection,” he explained.
“We’re in the entertainment industry, but with the growing awareness around how this entertainment can go wrong, we’re really invested in player protection and how we can best provide a safe environment for our customers.”
“The industry is always challenging… I was misunderstood 10 years ago within the industry, and we have grown. Don’t judge people on the past necessarily and possible misconceptions and misinformation, but look at the value that we’re trying to bring to the industry, how we’re trying to grow, and how we’re trying to engage with the industry, which is why I’m sitting here.”
The International Player Safety Index’s first report, focusing on Western Europe, paints a picture of a region with advanced regulation but lingering confusion. “The three things that really came out were communication, clarity, and consistency,” Westbury emphasized.
Despite 60% of survey respondents rating their primary jurisdiction’s player protection a solid 7 out of 10, 43% still expressed dissatisfaction, and 26% found regulatory guidance unclear.
This disconnect, Westbury noted, is compounded by a reluctance among operators to engage with regulators. “There were some UK operators… saying they didn’t want to engage with the UK GC for fear of possibly looking stupid… but as a gaming fraternity we need to engage with regulation and make sure that the regulation is there successfully.”
The panel delved into the perennial debate over regulatory harmonisation across Europe.
Westbury was pragmatic: “Harmonisation on paper makes sense, but… everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face. Someone in Spain is very different from someone in Germany… I think you’re never going to be able to have it across a whole continent such as Western Europe, because there are too many differences and egos get in the way.”
Westbury called for a new era of collaboration between operators, regulators, and industry bodies. “We need to take a step back and understand that we’re not going to get everything we want, and we have to be a bit honest with ourselves as an industry and then learn to work with the governments.”
Looking ahead, Westbury is eager to expand the Player Safety Index’s reach. “Let’s listen to the world, let’s understand their problems and maybe also learn something along the way… let’s not view Western Europe as the standard. We can learn from others, for example, Africa can learn from Latin America. Let’s get this idea of collaboration.”
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