In this episode of iGaming Accent, host Vakho Mdivani welcomes Simon Westbury, recently appointed as Strategic Advisor to 1xBet, for a lively and candid conversation about career journeys, industry culture, and the evolving role of major brands in iGaming.
Simon’s entry into iGaming was, as he puts it, “pure luck.” In 2007, he was asked to take over the Gaming Executive Summit (GES). “The premise was no more than 200 people in the room, but everyone was a decision maker.”
He recalls the unique culture of those early events, where networking and mentorship played a key role. “My mentor, Roger Withers, taught me how to present myself, how to host a table, and gave me the right words at the right time during my career.”
The conversation turns to Simon’s move from the UK to Armenia, a transition he describes as gradual but transformative. “I started coming back and forth to Armenia in 2019… My role grew, and eventually I moved here. It wasn’t planned, but you have to commit to whatever you do.”
He highlights the cultural differences, especially in workplace communication and emotional expression, and notes the significant role iGaming plays in Armenia’s economy and society.
Discussing his new role at 1xBet, Simon is frank about the brand’s reputation and his motivation for joining: “A lot of people mentioned the risk I was taking… but I didn’t see risk, I saw opportunity. I believed in fairness, and I saw a real opportunity to give a big brand a voice and allow them to be heard.”
He emphasizes the company’s openness and focus on results: “There’s no real emotion, no complexes, no politics. You just get on and do your work and look at the results.”
Simon’s current focus is on industry engagement and building relationships: “My role is going to evolve… but for now, it’s about engaging with the industry, getting out there, and showing that we’re here to talk.”
A major topic is 1xBet’s approach to sports sponsorship, including partnerships with FIBA, PSG, and Barcelona. Simon explains, “Sponsorship is about brand awareness, building trust, and contributing to the global development of sport. With basketball, it’s genuinely tangible to see how the investment will come down to a grassroots level and actually improve the level of the sport.”
The episode also covers the launch of the Player Protection Index report, produced in partnership with SBC. Simon presented it at SBC Summit Lisbon last week. He pointed out: “I was talking about the three Cs previous week: the need for clarity, the need for communication, and the need for consistency. However, on the flight back, I thought of a fourth C, and that is confusion. So above the need for clarity, communication, and consistency, sits confusion, and that was borne out by some of the findings from the report.
“43% of respondents were not happy with the player protection regulations in their primary jurisdiction. 26% wanted more clarity. There’s a real need for engagement and collaboration across the industry.”
He also responded to a question from Heropicks Games’s Imeda Imedashvili and posed one of his own for the next guest.
To hear the full conversation and gain even deeper insights, listen to the complete podcast episode of iGaming Accent.
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