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 "hold-ups" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices.

Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would come into force in October 2019.
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Ms Crouch stated pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however principles stay with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had actually resigned but there had been "no delay in bringing forward this crucial step".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines'

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has rejected Labour declares that MPs had been led to believe the cut would come into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had actually been intended to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, application 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 announcement to reduce stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

"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 think this delay is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers need to adhere to cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your wishes relating to 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 brave" including: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of substantial credit not simply for her campaign but 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, people can bet up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the devices let players lose cash too quickly, resulting in addiction and social, mental and financial issues.

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

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had listened to those who desired the changes to come into result quicker than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the modifications ought to be in location within the year - by October 2019".

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

The federal government says co-ordinating the date of the two changes would mean the federal government would not be hit by a fall in tax income.
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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 known for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a competent 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 worked for various Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her first child in 2016 and is believed 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".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "bold and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over good".

MPs from all sides of the House participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it needs to be discussed as part of the Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are plenty of people whose lives have actually been harmed by this dependency ... We require to do this extremely quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's not ideal."

Labour has informed the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to try and generate the changes next April.
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