1xCare Launches Advisory Committee as Member Quirino Mancini Highlights AI’s Role in Regional Player Safety

1xCare, the responsible gambling initiative backed by the owner of 1xBet, has formally appointed its Advisory Committee following its debut at iGB Live earlier this month. The four-member panel is tasked with independent oversight of the programme’s player protection framework, covering research, education, technology, and well-being under a unified structure.

Simon Westbury serves as Chairperson, providing strategic leadership across 1xCare’s four pillars—Research Hub, EduCare, TechShield, and Support and Well-Being—and overseeing policy, funding allocation, ethical standards, and compliance. Westbury also acts as the primary spokesperson and monitors NGO accountability.

The committee includes three additional members with specialized expertise. Quirino Mancini leads the regulatory and compliance stream, advising on legal and licensing standards, research ethics, and risk management, while building networks with regulators and academic institutions. Chris Bird heads the sports and sponsorships stream within EduCare, focusing on integrity in sports partnerships and embedding gambling awareness into athletic settings. Sissel Weitzhändler leads the public policy and regulation stream, overseeing funding for public-interest initiatives and collaborating with regulators and NGOs on evidence-based interventions.

“An initiative like this is judged by the people willing to stand behind it,” said Westbury. “We have brought together independent expertise in gambling regulation, law and sports integrity, and given the committee genuine authority over how our programmes are governed and funded. Responsible gambling is not a slogan; it is a duty, and this committee exists to hold us to it.”

Regional AI Adoption Insights

In parallel with the committee’s formation, Quirino Mancini contributed to a series of International Player Safety Index Reports produced by SBC and 1xBet, offering a detailed analysis of how artificial intelligence is being deployed for player protection across different markets.

Latin America, according to Mancini, is positioning itself as a global leader in AI adoption for player safety, driven by innovation-friendly regulators in relatively new markets. “Latin American regulators have a fresher approach, because they are just starting to roll out the new rules, and they have to onboard AI like it or not,” she noted.

Africa presents a stark contrast. Mancini pointed out that deployment of AI for player tracking or harm identification currently sits at zero across the continent, with most countries still lacking comprehensive gaming regulation. She advised African regulators to “engage with fellow regulators from first-tier jurisdictions who have already ‘been there and done that’” to accelerate progress.

Western Europe, despite its mature regulatory landscape, is in an “emerging but cautious phase” regarding AI. Mancini highlighted the lack of harmonization across jurisdictions, with countries like Malta taking a proactive approach while others remain conservative. She cited the EU AI Act as a useful framework but cautioned that “the picture that goes into the frame is yet to be worked out,” predicting that a common regulatory approach will still take time.

1xCare has indicated that additional specialist appointments, including academic and sports integrity seats, will be confirmed in the coming months as the committee’s work develops.