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 optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers.

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 said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of issue gamblers.

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

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had actually been "no hold-up in bringing forward this essential procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers

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

sports betting device 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 recommended the cut had been meant to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, execution of these modifications are now being postponed until October 2019 due to commitments made by others to those with signed up interests.

This Twitter post can not be shown in your internet browser. Please enable Javascript or try a various browser.View initial material on Twitter The BBC is not accountable for the content of external websites.

Skip twitter post by Tracey Crouch

Allow Twitter content?

This short article contains material provided by Twitter. We ask for your authorization before anything is packed, as they may be utilizing cookies and other innovations. You may want to read Twitter's cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To see this material choose 'accept and continue'.

Accept and continue

The BBC is not accountable for the material of external sites.

End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the statement to minimize stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, 2 individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, because of that as much as any other, I think this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a reality of government that ministers need to comply with collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your dreams connecting 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 bold" adding: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

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

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

Currently, individuals can bet approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the machines let gamers lose cash too quickly, resulting in addiction and social, mental and monetary issues.
bit.ly
But bookmakers have actually cautioned the cut in stakes might result in thousands of outlets closing.

In her response 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 concurred that the modifications need to remain in location within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the same time as changes to on gaming 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 hit by a fall in tax profits.

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

Grade 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, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election

She had her first kid 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 accused the federal government of "capitulating to the gambling market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of the House took part 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
bit.ly
He informed the BBC: "There are plenty of people whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction ... We need to do this very rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's wrong."

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