1 Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over 'Hold-up' To Betting Crackdown

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sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to wagering crackdown
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1 November 2018
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sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering 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 pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of problem gamblers.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur but principles stick with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had actually been "no hold-up in advancing this important procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

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

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

"In addition, 2 individuals will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, for that factor as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a truth of federal government that ministers need to comply with cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your wishes connecting to your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those applauding 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 "is worthy of substantial credit not simply for her campaign however for sticking up for her principles".

Fixed-odds wagering terminals create ₤ 1.8 bn in profits a year for the sports betting industry, 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 state the machines let players lose cash too rapidly, resulting in addiction and social, psychological and financial problems.

But bookmakers have actually warned the cut in stakes could result in countless outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into impact earlier than April 2020 and "had agreed that the modifications should 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 same time as modifications to responsibility charged on gambling companies based abroad but operating in the UK.

The government states co-ordinating the date of the two changes would suggest the government would not be struck 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 known for her opposition to fox searching and her love of football - she is a qualified FA coach

Grammar 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 of "capitulating to the sports betting market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over good".
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MPs from all sides of your house joined in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it must be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He told the BBC: "There are lots of individuals whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction ... We require to do this very rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not right."

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