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 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 enter force in October 2019.

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

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

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had resigned however there had been "no hold-up in advancing this important procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices

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

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has actually rejected 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 recommended the cut had actually been intended to be presented in April 2020.

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

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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the announcement to minimize stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.
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"In addition, two individuals will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, for that factor as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers should stick to collective responsibility 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 media, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and bold" including: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "should have substantial credit not just 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 Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the federal government.

Currently, individuals can wager as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the machines let players lose cash too quickly, resulting in addiction and social, mental and monetary issues.

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

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had actually listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into effect earlier than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the changes must 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 same time as modifications to responsibility charged on gaming companies based abroad but running in the UK.
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The government says co-ordinating the date of the two changes would suggest the federal government would not be hit by a fall in tax income.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, since 2010
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She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015
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She is understood for her opposition to fox searching and her love of football - she is a certified 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 very first kid in 2016 and is believed to have actually been the very first Tory minister to take maternity leave
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But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson implicated the government of "capitulating to the gambling industry".

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

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

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
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He told the BBC: "There are lots of people whose lives have been harmed by this addiction ... We require to do this very rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not right."

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