sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to wagering crackdown

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers.

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 said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however principles stay with us permanently."
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Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had resigned however there had been "no hold-up in advancing this crucial measure".
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High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering devices'

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has denied Labour declares that MPs had been led to believe the cut would enter into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had actually been meant to be introduced in April 2020.
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But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, execution of these modifications are now being postponed till October 2019 due to commitments 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 announcement to decrease stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.

"In addition, 2 individuals will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a fact of government that ministers must stick to collective responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your dreams relating to your own portfolio."

'God bless'

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

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of huge credit not simply for her campaign however for sticking up for her concepts".

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

Currently, people can bet as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the makers let gamers lose cash too rapidly, leading to addiction and social, mental and monetary problems.

But bookies have actually warned the cut in stakes might result in countless outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had actually listened to those who desired the changes to come into effect earlier than April 2020 and "had agreed that the modifications need to remain in place within the year - by October 2019".

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

The government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would suggest the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax earnings.
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Who is Tracey Crouch?

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

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

She is known for her opposition to fox searching 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
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She had actually worked for various Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election
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She had her first kid in 2016 and is believed to have actually been the very first Tory minister to take maternity leave

But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson implicated the government of "capitulating to the sports betting industry".

He praised Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be thoroughly ashamed" of "corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over excellent".

MPs from all sides of your house signed up with in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it should be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are lots of people whose lives have been damaged by this addiction ... We require to do this extremely rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's not right."

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