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

1 November 2018

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

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 might cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but principles remain with us forever."
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Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned but there had actually been "no delay in bringing forward this crucial step".

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

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has 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 been planned to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, execution of these modifications are now being delayed till 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 decrease stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.

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

She added: "It is a truth of government that ministers should follow collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your dreams associating with your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those praising her on social networks, the Archbishop of Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and courageous" adding: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "should have huge credit not simply for her project however for sticking up for her principles".
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Fixed-odds sports betting terminals produce ₤ 1.8 bn in revenue a year for the wagering market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.

Currently, people can wager as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the machines let gamers lose cash too rapidly, causing dependency and social, psychological and financial problems.

But bookies have actually cautioned the cut in stakes might cause countless outlets closing.
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In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had actually listened to those who desired the changes to come into effect quicker than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the changes should be in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the modification to fixed-odds stakes would enter force next October at the very same time as modifications to task charged on gaming companies based abroad however running in the UK.
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The government says co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would mean the government would not be struck by a fall in tax income.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

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

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

She had worked for numerous Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election

She had her very first child in 2016 and is thought 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 "courageous and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be completely ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of the House took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it must be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
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He informed the BBC: "There are a lot of individuals whose lives have been harmed by this addiction ... We need to do this really quickly, as quickly 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 modification to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the modifications next April.