67% of Gamblers Skip Safety Education—Here’s How Operators and Regulators Are Failing Both Players and Profits

(AsiaGameHub) –   By: Christian Brooks, a prominent financial and business lead commentator

The gambling industry is stuck in a self-defeating loop. Operators admit safer gamblers drive long-term profits. Yet nearly half let commercial concerns derail player safety education. Worse, 67% of players don’t want to learn about gambling risks. They cling to optimism bias, assuming protection tools are for someone else. This gap between what’s needed and what’s happening threatens both players and the industry’s stability.

1xBet’s strategic advisor Simon Westbury has pulled back the curtain on this gap. The operator commissioned SBC Media’s fourth International Player Safety Index to center education in player protection. Westbury notes most players don’t grasp basic gambling mechanics. They don’t know what a 90% RTP slot means, or the difference between fractional and decimal odds. Even some industry insiders lack this knowledge—Westbury recalls a team member who couldn’t play blackjack. The IPSI report shows deposit limits and self-exclusion tools work, but players must activate them. 1xBet is testing non-intrusive tools like 1xBalance in Africa, which lets players track their gambling profiles without feeling lectured. Globally, regulation is inconsistent and increasingly focused on taxation over protection. In the UK, Westbury warns offshore operators will grow as local taxes miss targets. The UKGC’s £65k role for head of illegal markets raises questions about whether officials understand the scale of the problem.

The industry’s only way out is to align profit and protection. Operators must weave player safety into every step of product design—from graphic designers to developers. Half-hearted education that feels intrusive will only push players away. Regulators need to stop prioritizing taxes over protection and create consistent global rules. Without this, players will flock to unregulated offshore platforms where risks are far higher. The end result? A shrinking regulated market, more vulnerable players, and a reputation crisis no operator can recover from.