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

1 November 2018

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

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however concepts stick with us permanently."

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

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually rejected Labour claims that MPs had actually been led to think the cut would enter into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had actually been meant to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, execution of these changes are now being delayed until October 2019 due to commitments 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 reduce stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

"In addition, 2 people will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."
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She included: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers need to adhere to cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your wishes connecting to your own portfolio."

'God bless'
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Among those applauding her on social media, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin 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 "is worthy of big credit not simply for her project but for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, individuals can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the devices let gamers lose cash too quickly, resulting in dependency and social, mental and monetary problems.
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But bookmakers have actually warned the cut in stakes might cause countless outlets closing.
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In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into result faster than April 2020 and "had agreed that the modifications need to be in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the exact same time as modifications to responsibility charged on sports betting firms based abroad however 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 earnings.
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Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, considering that 2010

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

She is known for her opposition to fox searching and her love of football - she is a qualified 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 actually worked for numerous Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her first kid in 2016 and is believed to have been the very 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 sports betting industry".

He praised Ms Crouch's "brave and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be completely ashamed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over excellent".

MPs from all sides of your home participated 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

He told the BBC: "There are a lot of people whose lives have been damaged by this addiction ... We need 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 delay. That's not ideal."

Labour has actually told the BBC that they will put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to try and generate the changes next April.