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

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices.

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 stated pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur but concepts stick with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had resigned however there had been "no hold-up in bringing forward this important procedure".
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High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting machines'
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sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

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

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these modifications 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 lower stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

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

She added: "It is a truth of federal government that ministers need to adhere to collective responsibility and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your dreams connecting to your own portfolio."

'God bless'

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

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of huge credit not simply for her project but for sticking up for her principles".

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

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

But bookmakers have actually warned the cut in stakes might result in countless outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into result quicker than April 2020 and "had agreed that the modifications must 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 modifications to responsibility charged on gaming companies based abroad but operating in the UK.

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would indicate the federal government would not be hit by a fall in tax income.

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 hunting and her love of football - she is a certified FA coach

Grade school educated 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 been the first Tory minister to take maternity leave

But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson implicated the of "capitulating to the sports betting industry".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "bold and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of your house joined in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it ought to be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He told the BBC: "There are plenty of individuals whose lives have actually been harmed by this dependency ... We need to do this really quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's not best."

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