Simon Westbury, Strategic Advisor at 1xBet, has argued that higher quality education from both operators and regulators is essential to normalising player protection across the industry.
Westbury cautioned against over-educating players to the point of inducing apathy, but stressed that operational transparency remains mandatory for delivering robust and meaningful protection.
He used a relatable analogy to make his case, explaining that understanding return-to-player figures does not mean expecting exact returns, but it does help players make genuinely informed choices about their activity.
“It’s very clear education needs to be given to the player to make an informed choice,” Westbury said, adding that informed players ultimately have a better experience overall.
A striking finding from the IPSI report revealed that 67% of respondents reported players lack genuine interest in comprehensive safer gambling education, highlighting a significant challenge for the entire sector.
Westbury acknowledged that recreational users frequently exhibit optimism bias, assuming protection tools are designed for more vulnerable demographics rather than themselves, a mindset he believes must be shifted.
He pointed to deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion, and player breaks as tools the report confirmed do work, but noted these are player-controlled and operators must do more to support their use.
The IPSI report also found that 49% of respondents cited commercial considerations as barriers to rolling out better player education, despite 69% agreeing that safer gamblers are ultimately more profitable for operators.
Westbury described this contradiction as “genuinely shocking,” underlining that greater consistency at both a legislative and regulatory level is urgently needed to close this gap.
He warned that a persistent disconnect between lawmakers, regulators, and operators continues to hinder progress, particularly in competitive markets where player protection policies can be deprioritised.
Westbury stressed that meaningful engagement must begin at the legislative level, stating: “You engage with legislators by engaging with society and we don’t always as an industry cover ourselves in glory.”
He was direct about the consequences of failing to get education right, warning: “If we get this wrong, they’re going to go somewhere else,” signalling serious risks to player retention and trust.
1xBet is currently working on several projects in this space, including 1xBalance in Africa, which places education at the heart of its player protection strategy.
Westbury concluded that with over 18 years of global experience and more than three million monthly users, 1xBet has ingrained player protection as a core strategic pillar alongside product, acquisition, and retention.
