1xBet's Simon Westbury Warns Industry Must Regain Social Licence

Simon Westbury, strategic advisor to 1xBet, says the gambling industry has lost its "social licence" and must focus on long-term player trust over short-term gains.

His comments follow UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham's August social media post that grouped betting shops with "dodgy businesses".

"It's an example of the industry losing their social licence and their ability to operate in an environment. It's also a case of 'don't let the facts get in the way of a good story'," Westbury said.

He said the perception goes beyond the UK and land-based bookmakers, with the entire industry facing a stigma.

"What he's saying isn't supported by evidence, but... does it resonate with people? Yes, it does," Westbury added.

Westbury, who is also director of 1xCare and chairperson of its advisory board committee, said the industry's response of citing regulation is insufficient.

"Just saying you're regulated doesn't change the perception and doesn't move the discussion forward to a point where we may change this or actually start challenging some of the polarised views that exist," he said.

He argued that a focus on instant gains has damaged the sector's standing.

"There's been a real focus on instantaneity, pushing the envelope, finding loopholes, finding ways to operate," Westbury stated.

He said the industry must "re-engage and gain back our social licence to operate" and "put players at the front and centre of everything that we do".

Westbury pointed to unpublished 1xCare research that found 55% of participating operators thought compliance was more important than player protection.

"I think that's concerning," he said.

He explained that player protection needs to be ingrained from product conception, questioning how suppliers incorporate responsible gambling measures when developing new slot games.

Westbury also believes regulators sometimes indulge in performative compliance.

"We see a lot of regulators doing the annual report saying they've audited this many operators, they found this many problems, but that's performative to me," he explained.

He questioned the effectiveness of current regulatory approaches, given the growth of the offshore market.

"If regulators and governments are doing such a wonderful job at regulation, why is the offshore 'dot-com' market growing?" Westbury asked.

He said the industry faces a polarised anti-gambling political climate, citing online gambling bans in Brazil and strict advertising rules in Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.

"It's very polarised... You're either very pro-gambling or very anti-gambling," Westbury said of research.

He cautioned against prohibition, noting gambling's historical persistence.

"Gambling's been around longer than money, we have to remember that. People will find a way," Westbury said.