HLTV will stage the HLTV Awards presented by 1xBet in Belgrade, Serbia on January 9, 2027, returning to the Sava Center. The company said more than 1,000 players, industry professionals, creators, and fans are expected to attend.

HLTV also confirmed Dust2 creator David Johnston will feature as an award announcer. HLTV linked the booking to the 25th anniversary of Dust2.

For 2026, HLTV is updating its Hall of Fame process and eligibility rules. Four players will be inducted again, with “at least two and up to three” slots reserved for players from the Counter-Strike 1.6 and early eras. HLTV also removed the former “neo rule,” allowing players to be inducted for their playing careers even if they remain active in other roles such as coaching.

HLTV is adding a Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be decided by the Hall of Fame Board. The ceremony will also move Community Awards onto the main stage show for the first time, rather than the pre-show segment.

Separately, HLTV will kick off the 2027 Awards season with an invite-only “HLTV Awards by 1xBet Launch Party x GRID” in Cologne during the Major. HLTV said industry members can apply for an invite to the ceremony via its awards page.

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1xBet has announced the signing of a contract with one of the most charismatic fighters in modern MMA, UFC light heavyweight champion Jirí Procházka. The partnership brings together a global betting leader and a top-level athlete, whose path is a true statement of inner strength, warrior philosophy and freedom of choice.

When a fighter steps down from the championship stage due to an injury but finds the strength to return and fight for the top again, that is a story of strong character. 1xBet chose exactly this kind of ambassador: a person who inspires millions not only with victories, but also with a unique worldview known as the “Way of the Conscious Warrior.”

Jirí Procházka is the first Czech fighter in history to win a UFC title. With a height of 193 cm and an arm span of over 200 cm, he dominates at range, turning every fight into a high-level art of attack. His style is unconventional and aggressively spectacular. In 2022, he forced the legendary BJJ master Glover Teixeira to submit with a dramatic submission, writing his name into the history of the most prestigious MMA promotion.

In 2026, Procházka, known as the “Czech Samurai”, reaches peak form while remaining at the top of the light heavyweight division. His bushido philosophy, study of Miyamoto Musashi’s works, and meditation make him a true thinker in the cage. He has no tattoos, listens to classical music as well as Rammstein, and instead of resting, he prefers survival rituals in the Amazon jungle. This is an ideal partnership with a brand that values individuality and the fighter’s strong will.

On 11 April, the new 1xBet ambassador will step into the fight for the vacant light heavyweight title against Carlos Ulberg. This bout will be the main event of UFC 327 in Miami and will determine the new king of the division.

“Following the signing of Carlos Prates, we continue to strengthen our presence in the UFC. Jirí is not just a former champion, but a fighter with a unique philosophy and style that truly sets him apart,” said 1xBet representative Simon Westbury.

The post Former UFC Champion Jirí Procházka Joins 1xBet as Ambassador appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Following the release of the Player Protection Index Report – Western Europe, 1xBet ‘s Strategic Advisor, Simon Westbury, will participate in an industry panel on 12 November during Player Protection Week, discussing how operators and regulators can strengthen cooperation to deliver earlier, consistent, and effective safeguards for players.

1xBet today confirmed its participation in a Player Protection Day webinar, co-hosted with SBC Media, to continue the industry dialogue initiated by the Player Protection Index – Western Europe.

The session which is titled “Strengthening the crucial relationship between operators and regulators” — will be hosted by Steve Hoare, of the Player Protection Hub and joined by Player Protection Experts, Peter Marcus, Director of the Marcon, Anton Kaszubowski, Director of Greenlaw Limited, and Simon Westbury, Strategic Advisor to 1xBet. The discussion will explore how both operators and regulators, despite sharing the same objective of protecting players, often experience misalignment in expectations, implementation, and communication.

Drawing on insights from 1xBet’s supported research, the panel will highlight best practice, identify friction points, and discuss pragmatic reforms that balance regulatory integrity with player experience.

Simon Westbury, Strategic Advisor, 1xBet said: “This isn’t about pointing out issues — it’s about working together on solutions and building bridges. Operators and regulators ultimately want the same outcome: a safe, sustainable, and trusted marketplace. The challenge lies in turning shared intent into shared standards.

At 1xBet, we believe protection should be built-in, not bolted-on. That means earlier engagement, consistent frameworks, and practical guidance operators can apply proportionately across jurisdictions. Through open dialogue, data transparency, and empathy, we can design systems that genuinely protect players, without pushing them into unlicensed spaces.”

Why It Matters

Independent research from the International Player Safety Index: Western Europe found that:

• 60% of operators rate player protection highly in their primary market,
• Yet 43% are unsatisfied and 26% uncertain about the quality of regulatory guidance.

The findings underline the need for earlier collaboration and clearer, shared definitions of success between regulators and operators.

Inconsistent frameworks create friction for responsible operators and open doors to leakage from the regulated channel. Earlier, data-led, human-centered interventions, supported by practical, auditable standards which can improve outcomes while maintaining channelisation.

Strategic focus areas under evaluation by 1xBet
• Assessing a structured audit cadence of protection triggers and outcomes across key markets.
• Exploring friction-light, risk-based checks with privacy-by-design and data minimisation.
• Evaluating broader use of multi-operator tools (where available) to support earlier, consistent interventions.
• Considering ways to share benchmarks and learnings with regulators and peers to support cross-border minimum standards.
• Investigating AI-assisted workflows with transparent logic and independent testing prior to any deployment.

Next Steps

The Player Protection Day webinar on 12 November marks the next milestone in 1xBet’s commitment to advancing responsible gaming through insight, cooperation, and transparency.
It will serve as a live forum for cross-sector dialogue, encouraging new standards of clarity, empathy, and shared accountability in how player safety is defined and delivered.

Forthcoming study: The next qualitative report in the series will examine African markets, focusing on consistency, early intervention and data-sharing in rapidly evolving frameworks.

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