sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to wagering crackdown
1 November 2018
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines.
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 pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of problem gamblers.
She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but concepts stick with us forever."
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Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had been "no delay in advancing this crucial step".
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High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices
' I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting makers'
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sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The federal government has 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 recommended the cut had been planned to be introduced in April 2020.
But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being postponed up 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 lower stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.
"In addition, two people will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, because of that as much as any other, I think this hold-up is unjustifiable."
She added: "It is a reality of government that ministers need to comply with cumulative duty 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 praising her on social media, 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 "should have substantial credit not just for her project but for sticking up for her concepts".
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Fixed-odds wagering terminals produce ₤ 1.8 bn in income a year for the wagering market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.
Currently, individuals can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the devices let gamers lose money too rapidly, leading to addiction and social, mental and financial problems.
But bookies have cautioned the cut in stakes might lead to countless outlets closing.
In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had actually listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into effect sooner than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the changes need to be in location within the year - by October 2019".
In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter force next October at the same time as modifications to duty charged on sports betting companies based abroad but running in the UK.
The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would imply the federal government would not be hit by a fall in tax revenue.
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 understood 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 numerous Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election
She had her very first kid in 2016 and is thought to have been the 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 gambling market".
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He praised Ms Crouch's "brave and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over excellent".
MPs from all sides of the House joined in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it ought to be talked about 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 very quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's wrong."
Labour has informed the BBC that they will put down a change to the Finance Bill to attempt and generate the changes next April.
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Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over 'Hold-up' To Betting Crackdown
Alejandrina Newcomb edited this page 2024-12-22 00:03:55 +00:00