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

1 November 2018

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

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

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

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

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned but there had been "no delay in advancing this essential step".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines
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' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering devices'
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sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

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

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, execution of these changes are now being delayed 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 lower stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.
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"In addition, 2 people will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, for that reason as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers should follow collective duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your dreams associating with your own portfolio."
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'God bless'

Among those applauding her on social networks, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin 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 "deserves big credit not simply for her campaign but for sticking up for her principles".

Fixed-odds sports betting terminals generate ₤ 1.8 bn in earnings a year for the sports betting industry, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.
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Currently, individuals can wager as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the machines let players lose money too quickly, leading to dependency and social, psychological and monetary issues.

But bookies have alerted the cut in stakes might cause thousands of outlets closing.

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

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the modification to would enter force next October at the same time as modifications to responsibility charged on gambling companies based abroad however running in the UK.

The government says co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would mean the federal 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, since 2010

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

She is understood for her opposition to fox searching and her love of football - she is a qualified 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 representing election

She had her first child 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 accused the government of "capitulating to the sports betting industry".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "bold and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of your house participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it ought to be talked about as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are a lot of people whose lives have been damaged by this addiction ... We require to do this extremely quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's not best."

Labour has actually told the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the modifications next April.