sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to wagering crackdown

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines.

Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter into force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch stated pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of issue bettors.
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She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however principles stick with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had actually been "no delay in advancing this crucial procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting machines'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has denied Labour declares that MPs had been led to believe the cut would enter force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had been planned to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being postponed up until October 2019 due to dedications made by others to those with signed up interests.

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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the statement to minimize stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, two individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, for that reason as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a reality of government that ministers should adhere to cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your desires associating with your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those praising her on social media, the Archbishop of Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and bold" adding: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of substantial credit not just for her campaign but for sticking up for her concepts".

Fixed-odds wagering terminals generate ₤ 1.8 bn in earnings a year for the wagering market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the federal government.

Currently, individuals can bet up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the makers let gamers lose money too quickly, resulting in addiction and social, mental and monetary problems.

But bookies have actually alerted the cut in stakes could result in countless outlets closing.
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In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had actually listened to those who desired the changes to come into impact sooner than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the changes ought to be in location within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the change to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the very same time as modifications to duty charged on gaming firms based abroad but operating in the UK.

The government states co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would imply the federal government would not be hit by a fall in tax income.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, because 2010

She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015

She is understood for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a qualified FA coach

Grammar school educated at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University

She had worked for various Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her very first child in 2016 and is thought to have been the first Tory minister to take maternity leave

But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson implicated the federal government of "capitulating to the sports betting market".
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He praised Ms Crouch's "brave and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be completely ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over good".
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MPs from all sides of the House participated in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it should be talked about as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He told the BBC: "There are lots of people whose lives have actually been harmed by this dependency ... We need to do this really quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not ideal."

Labour has told the BBC that they will put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to try and generate the changes next April.