Simon Westbury of 1xBet: “The Industry Must Move Beyond Performative Compliance”
Summary
Simon Westbury, Strategic Advisor to 1xBet, argues the gambling industry must move beyond performative compliance and embed player protection into product design, culture and regulation. He highlights 1xBet's expansion to more than 35 local licences, stricter partner standards, and an upcoming major announcement to launch a dedicated body for research, education and wellbeing. Westbury warns commercial incentives often trump player safety, calls for improved player literacy and clearer, market-specific regulatory frameworks, and notes that tools like real-time monitoring, AI and KYC are unevenly adopted across regions. He urges operators to integrate safeguards into the customer journey so safer play drives long-term sustainability and profitability, especially ahead of major events such as the World Cup.