sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to wagering crackdown
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1 November 2018
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sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers.

Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter into 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 forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned but there had been "no hold-up in advancing this important step".

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 actually rejected Labour claims that MPs had actually been led to believe the cut would come into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had actually been planned to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these modifications are now being postponed 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 decrease stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

"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 think this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a fact of government that ministers should follow cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your wishes connecting to your own portfolio."

'God bless'

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

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves huge credit not simply for her project however for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, people can bet up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the machines let players lose money too quickly, causing dependency and social, psychological and monetary issues.

But bookmakers have warned the cut in stakes could lead to thousands of outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into effect earlier than April 2020 and "had agreed that the modifications need to remain in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the change to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the exact same time as modifications to duty charged on gaming firms based abroad but running in the UK.

The government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 would suggest the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax profits.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually 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 hunting and her love of football - she is a qualified 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 actually worked for various Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before representing 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 gambling industry".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over good".

MPs from all sides of your house signed up with in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it needs to be gone over 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 a lot of individuals whose lives have actually been harmed by this dependency ... We require to do this extremely quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's wrong."

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