At SBC Summit Tbilisi 2026, 1xBet Strategic Advisor Simon Westbury used his fireside chat to argue that responsible gambling can no longer be treated as a narrow compliance requirement. Instead, he framed player protection as a core element of long-term, regulated and sustainable growth for the betting and gaming industry.
Speaking on the panel “From Compliance to Care: What Global Player-Safety Research Reveals About Building a Sustainable, Regulated Growth Strategy,” Westbury discussed 1xBet’s evolving approach to player protection, the findings of its Player Safety Index research series, and the launch of 1XCare, a new NGO focused on player protection.
The research commissioned by 1xBet revealed important differences between markets. Outside Western Europe, Westbury said, safer gambling tools are often not firmly embedded in regulation. He argued that leaving player protection entirely to operators is not ideal, because regulated markets need common standards.
In Africa, for example, the research highlighted a need for education, with many players viewing gambling as a form of income generation rather than as a leisure activity. Westbury stressed that this perception must change if the industry is to develop responsibly.
Latin America presented a different picture. Westbury described the region as having passed through a “honeymoon period” of regulation, with operators there showing strong adoption of technology in player protection. According to the research, 69% of surveyed operators in Latin America were using real-time player protection tools, while 34% were already incorporating AI into their approach. That compared with around 30% in Europe.
However, Westbury warned that regulation in some markets is becoming too focused on taxation. “Regulation is becoming about taxation,” he said, adding that the industry needs closer engagement with regulators.
For Westbury, player protection also makes commercial sense. “If you engage with a player and you protect a player… you give them a safe, fun environment to play, they’re going to play longer with you,” he said. He clarified that this is not about longer sessions, but about “sustainability and engagement.” Building trust, he argued, is the foundation of a sustainable brand.
How 1XCare Aims to Reshape Responsible Gambling
This thinking led to the launch of 1XCare, an independent NGO funded by 1xBet. Westbury said the organisation was created because the industry too often focuses on “performative compliance rather than an actual dedication to player protection and safer gambling.”
1XCare will work across four pillars: education, research, technology and wellbeing. Westbury said education should happen both inside and outside the industry, potentially through partnerships with major sports brands such as PSG and FC Barcelona.
Technology will also be important, but Westbury warned against treating AI as just another buzzword. “Technology is a key tool… but it needs to be applied in the right manner,” he said.
One example could be using a gamified quiz during registration to understand a player’s risk profile, then applying AI and real-time monitoring to identify risky behaviour.
For Westbury, the wider ambition is to help build a more sustainable gambling industry – one in which player protection is not treated as a box-ticking exercise, but as a foundation for trust, regulation and long-term growth.
“I got involved because I want to make a difference,” he said. “1xBet through 1XCare also wants to make a difference in building a sustainable industry.”
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