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

1 November 2018
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sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices.

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

Ms Crouch stated pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue gamblers.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but concepts stick with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had been "no delay in bringing forward this crucial procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers
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' I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting makers'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has actually denied Labour declares that MPs had actually 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 actually been meant to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, application of these modifications are now being delayed 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 lower stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

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

She added: "It is a fact of government that ministers need to stick to collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your wishes associating with your own portfolio."

'God bless'

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

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves big credit not simply for her project however for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, people can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the makers let gamers lose cash too rapidly, leading to dependency and social, psychological and financial problems.

But bookies have cautioned the cut in stakes could lead to thousands of outlets closing.

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

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the modification to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the same time as changes to task charged on sports betting companies based abroad but running in the UK.

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 modifications would suggest the federal government would not be hit by a fall in tax revenue.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, given that 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 competent FA coach
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Grade 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 worked for numerous Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

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

But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson accused the federal government of "capitulating to the gambling industry".
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He applauded Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over excellent".

MPs from all sides of the House signed up with in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it ought to be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are plenty of people whose lives have actually been damaged by this dependency ... We require to do this extremely quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's wrong."

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