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Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over ‘Delay’ To Betting Crackdown

sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over ‘delay’ to wagering 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 makers.

Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in Monday’s Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would come into force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch said pressing back the date was “unjustifiable” and it could cost the lives of problem bettors.

She tweeted: “Politicians reoccur however principles stick with us permanently.”

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had actually been “no delay in advancing this crucial step”.

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 denied Labour declares that MPs had 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 meant to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: “Unfortunately, execution 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 lower stakes and its implementation, 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, for that factor as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable.”

She added: “It is a reality of government that ministers should abide by collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your wishes associating with your own portfolio.”

‘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 commitment to doing right.”

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she “should have huge credit not just for her project but for sticking up for her concepts”.

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

Currently, individuals can bet up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the devices let gamers lose cash too quickly, resulting in dependency and social, mental and monetary issues.

But bookmakers have actually cautioned the cut in stakes might result in thousands of outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had listened to those who desired the modifications to come into impact sooner than April 2020 and “had actually agreed that the modifications should remain in location 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 same time as modifications to duty charged on sports betting companies based abroad however running in the UK.

The federal government says co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would indicate the government would not be struck by a fall in tax earnings.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, given 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

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 various Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for 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, leader Tom Watson implicated the government of “capitulating to the gaming industry”.

He praised Ms Crouch’s “brave and principled decision” and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright “ought to be completely embarrassed” of prioritising “business interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over excellent”.

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

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: “There are plenty of individuals whose lives have actually been damaged by this addiction … We need to do this really rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That’s wrong.”

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