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 devices.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said 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 might cost the lives of problem bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but principles stay with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned but there had actually been "no hold-up in bringing forward this crucial measure".
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High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers

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

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

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

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

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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the statement to reduce stakes and its implementation, 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 problems and, for that reason as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a reality of government that ministers must stick to cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your dreams associating with your own portfolio."

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

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "should have substantial credit not just for her campaign however for sticking up for her concepts".

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

Currently, individuals can wager as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the makers let gamers lose money too quickly, leading to dependency and social, mental and financial problems.
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But have actually alerted the cut in stakes might lead to thousands of outlets closing.

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

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

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the two changes would suggest the government would not be struck by a fall in tax revenue.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, considering that 2010

She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015
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She is known for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a certified FA coach

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

She had actually worked for different Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning 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 implicated the government of "capitulating to the gaming industry".

He praised Ms Crouch's "brave and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over great".
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MPs from all sides of your home participated in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it must be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are plenty of individuals whose lives have been harmed by this addiction ... We need to do this extremely rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's wrong."

Labour has informed the BBC that they will put down a change to the Finance Bill to try and bring in the modifications next April.