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 sports betting 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 said in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would come into force in October 2019.

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

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however concepts stick with us forever."

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

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering devices'

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has actually denied Labour claims that MPs had actually been led to think the cut would enter 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, application of these changes 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 application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.
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"In addition, 2 individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a truth of government that ministers should comply with cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your dreams 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" including: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

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

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

Currently, people can wager as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the devices let gamers lose money too quickly, resulting in addiction and social, psychological and monetary problems.

But bookies have cautioned the cut in stakes might cause thousands of outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had listened to those who desired the modifications to come into effect sooner than April 2020 and "had concurred that the changes need to be in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the modification to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the very same time as changes to task charged on gaming firms based abroad however operating in the UK.

The federal government says co-ordinating the date of the two changes would imply 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, because 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 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 numerous Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her very first child in 2016 and is believed to have actually been the first Tory minister to take maternity leave
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But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson implicated the government of "capitulating to the gaming industry".

He praised Ms Crouch's "bold and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over good".

MPs from all sides of your home signed up with in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it needs to be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He told the BBC: "There are lots of people whose lives have actually been damaged by this dependency ... We need to do this very quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's not right."

Labour has informed the BBC that they will put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to try and generate the changes next April.