1xBet is expanding its portfolio of licenses as it puts engagement with regulators and industry front and centre of its new strategy. To do that, the iGaming giant knows it must be serious about heading in a new direction.
1xBet is not a company that needs introduction. Known the world over for its reach, disruptive marketing, and fair dose of controversy, the online sportsbook and casino behemoth has conquered markets from Europe to Africa to South America.
There has been a marked shift in approach by the iGaming operator in the past six months as the brand appears keen to correct past mistakes, create dialogue, but also more proactively challenge narratives it deems unfair as it eyes further growth.
The about-turn is arguably an attempt to redefine 1xBet – a turn that will aid its authority in industry, and regulatory, discussions in pursuit of that growth goal.
Targeting the ‘next phase’ of global growth while also steering 1xBet in a new direction is not an easy job for Simon Westbury, the iGaming veteran appointed as strategic advisor in July to do just that.
Westbury told iGB that 1xBet is focused on expanding its global brand, a goal it is pursuing “through partnerships with Paris Saint-Germain, the activation with FIBA [basketball’s governing body], deeper expansion into esports, and obviously, the gaining of more licenses.”
He disclosed that the Cyprus-headquartered company currently operates with local licenses in over 35 markets across LatAm, Africa and Western Europe. He wouldn’t put a number on it, but the target is to grow its portfolio of licenses substantially in the coming years.
1xBet has already secured two new licenses since Westbury’s noteworthy arrival, in Serbia and Guatamala. Another major license is in the pipeline, he said, but can’t yet be disclosed. In Westbury’s estimation, 1xBet is a top five iGaming operator globally, but he’s not content to sit still.
“We’re clearly one of the biggest global online operators in the world. But when you’re at the top, there’s always others coming to claim your crown. So we’re focused on expanding in every way to ensure that we do not [just] maintain our position but grow and expand in terms of local regulated markets and revenue. And that’s the key focus for 2026.”
A new direction
This focus on sustainable growth and brand image, arguably a new direction for the company, comes as 1xBet seeks to move on from the negative press of past.
In 2019, a Sunday Times investigation led to the termination of 1xBet’s UK white-label operations and several Premier League club partnerships following revelations it promoted a ‘pornhub’ casino and accepted bets on cockfighting. The company was notoriously quiet on the issue.
In 2023, investigative football blog Josimar reported that the alleged parent company of 1xBet had been declared bankrupt by Dutch courts.
Westbury did not shy away from the issues. He adopts a conciliatory stance, but one that stands firm where 1xBet maintains criticism is unfair.
“I actually welcome the questions because it allows me, for the first or second time, to be clear that those past headlines from six years ago do not reflect how the company operates today,” he says.
“Some of the issues you’ve referenced relate to historical matters from 2019. 1xBet at that time was under a very different organisational structure to the one that exists today. Since then, 1xBet has undergone fundamental transformation. [We’re now] headquartered in Cyprus which is in the EU, and we’re operating under a new team structure, government compliance and regulatory framework, as I’ve referenced with the growth of our licenses.”
“Those past headlines from six years ago do not reflect how the company operates today”
He notes that at the time, the platform provider 1xBet was working with was facing challenges with the UKGC and theirs was one of two operators affected by the regulator’s decisions. “While we were acting within the regulations of the jurisdictions we operated in, it became clear that the standards and expectations of the global market were diverging,” Westbury adds, claiming that 1xBet reserves the right to re-apply to enter the UK market should it wish to.
Addressing bankruptcy allegations, 1xBet told iGB in a statement: “Neither 1xBet nor any company that owns or operates the brand has ever been declared bankrupt in any jurisdiction. Reports suggesting otherwise relate to proceedings involving a former franchisee that operated independently many years ago. These matters have no connection to 1xBet’s current operations.”
Further controversy emerged after multiple investigative reports into 1xBet’s practice of livestreaming and taking bets on thousands of amateur sports matches featuring young players. At the time, 1xBet’s response was largely muted – something Westbury wants to change.
“These formats have historically been used across the industry to maintain continued sportsbook schedules during quieter periods,” he says. “In 1xBet’s case, this content is supplied by external providers, … and the content itself sits within the jurisdictional limits of the markets that we’re operating in. Whether some people find that type of content palatable is a matter of perspective and I’m not here to pass judgment.
“What matters from 1xBet’s side as an operator is that we work with third-party suppliers to provide a service, and those relationships must meet legal, ethical and contractual standards. Today, that bar is significantly higher than it was historically. We now have far stricter rules around supplier governance, event verification, athlete protection and regulatory alignment across all markets that we operate in.”
Changing the narrative
Industry commentators have pointed out that there are many other operators who partner with third-party suppliers to offer similar amateur sports event content for betting. However, perhaps due to its previous controversies, or because it has often stayed quiet on conversations around its brand, 1xBet has been a magnet for criticism in the past.
This hitherto muted approach – a mantra dubbed ‘never complain, never explain’ by Westbury – is one he thinks has caused undue damage to the company. He plans to be significantly more vocal going forward, moving 1xBet out of what some have described as its ‘defensive crouch’.
“It isn’t necessarily about fighting back, it’s about engaging properly and telling our story with clarity, consistency and transparency,” he explains. “Historically, 1xBet took a very quiet approach to public commentary. That approach is now evolving. We’re stepping into a new chapter. We’re open. Constructive engagement matters.
“That also means that we’re engaging with the industry more – regulators, partners and the media – in a calm way, where hopefully the factual evidence I’m bringing in a grounded manner will move the perception forward. I want to contribute meaningfully to the ‘now’ conversation.”
As an example of its commitment to creating dialogue and discussion in the industry, the company has been carrying out research among fellow operators.
The first report, launched in September last year, found 60% of operators in Western Europe gave their primary jurisdiction a rating of 7 out of 10. However, 43% of those operators said they were unhappy with current regulation, and 26% indicated they wanted more clarity.
The new 1xBet
The 1xBet of ‘now’, according to Westbury, is focused on regulatory growth, long-term market sustainability and alignment with local compliance expectations. But he is aware the iGaming giant’s new ambitions may be met with scepticism, at least in the short-term.
“I have to fully accept that perception doesn’t change overnight. Some will engage quickly. Others will take time, and that’s natural. My role isn’t to rush that process, it’s to keep showing up, keep communicating and allow outcomes, not commentary of the past, to shape the future narrative.
“There’s been meaningful team restructuring to embed… stronger accountability, transparency and leadership alignment internally. I know cultural change isn’t a headline moment. It’s something that we’re building through daily discipline and leadership behaviour, which I’m part of.
“But there is a long-term commitment internally to change. The impact of all our local licenses, internal realignment, and commitment to player protection demonstrate that commitment. We are focused on long-term sustainability and not short-term noise – and credibility doesn’t come from statements in this industry.”
As minds turn to the clamour and crunch of deals and debates set to play out in Barcelona at ICE 2026, 1xBet is seeking to have a more proactive, positive impact on the conversations shaping the industry.
Many will already have an opinion on 1xBet. Going into his first ICE representing one of iGaming’s biggest names, I asked Westbury: if he could have one ask of the industry, what would it be?
“Engage with us,” he implored. “Engage with us on our narrative now, on our story now. Engage with us with an open mind and not based on preconceived conception. 1xBet is committed to be an industry leader, but we want to be seen as collaborative and an engaging voice for the industry, not a controversial one.
“I’ve spoken on four panels in the last six months, given numerous press interviews, and I think I’ve broken the LinkedIn algorithm, and I apologise for that, but it does show that 1xBet is keen to engage with the industry on both business and its perception. And it’s clear the industry wants to engage with us.”
Simon Westbury, strategic advisor, 1xBet
