sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to sports betting crackdown

1 November 2018

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

Chancellor Philip Hammond said in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch said pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of problem gamblers.

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

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had resigned but there had been "no delay in bringing forward this important procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers

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

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has rejected Labour declares 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 suggested the cut had actually been meant to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, execution of these changes are now being delayed until 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 lower stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, 2 people will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, for that reason as much as any other, I think this hold-up is unjustifiable."
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She included: "It is a truth of government that ministers should adhere to cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your wishes associating with your own portfolio."
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'God bless'

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

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of substantial credit not just for her campaign but for sticking up for her concepts".

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

Currently, people can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the devices let gamers lose money too quickly, leading to dependency and social, psychological and financial issues.

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

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into effect faster than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the changes 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 very same time as changes to task charged on gambling companies based abroad but running in the UK.
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The government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would suggest the 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
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She is known for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a certified 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 different Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election

She had her first kid in 2016 and is believed to have actually been the 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".
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He applauded Ms Crouch's "bold and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be completely ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over good".
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MPs from all sides of your house took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it should 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 plenty of individuals whose lives have been damaged by this addiction ... We need to do this very quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's not best."

Labour has actually told the BBC that they will put down a change to the Finance Bill to attempt and generate the changes next April.