Whistl began with a simple, uncomfortable truth: casual gambling was creeping into our lives and those of our mates. It wasn’t dramatic — just tiny moments of “why not?” that added up. One night, after a punt that should’ve been fun felt more like a habit, we asked: what would it look like if your best mate could have your back digitally?

We sketched the idea of a digital referee on a napkin: mate-set limits, time blocks, and honest alerts. Nothing punitive — just accountability wrapped in respect and privacy. We slept better that night. That was the first signal we were onto something.

From that moment, Whistl became a mission: build a privacy-first tool that helps mates look out for each other. Simple. Human. Effective.