sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over ‘hold-up’ to sports betting crackdown

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over “delays” to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices.

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 stated pressing back the date was “unjustifiable” and it could cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: “Politicians reoccur but principles stay with us forever.“

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned but there had actually been “no hold-up in advancing this essential procedure”.

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices
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’ I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting makers'

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 enter force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had been intended to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: “Unfortunately, application of these changes are now being postponed until 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
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"From the time of the statement to reduce stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, 2 individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, for that reason as much as any other, I think this delay is unjustifiable.“

She added: “It is a fact of federal government that ministers need to abide by cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your desires connecting to 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” including: “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 sports betting terminals produce ₤ 1.8 bn in earnings a year for the sports betting market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.

Currently, individuals can bet up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the makers let gamers lose cash too quickly, causing dependency and social, mental and monetary issues.

But bookmakers have cautioned the cut in stakes might cause countless outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into result faster than April 2020 and “had agreed that the modifications should remain in location within the year - by October 2019”.

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the modification to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the same time as modifications to responsibility charged on sports betting companies based abroad but operating in the UK.

The government states co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would suggest the government would not be hit by a fall in tax revenue.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, since 2010

She was promoted to the front bench as in 2015

She is understood for her opposition to fox searching and her love of football - she is a competent 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, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her very 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 accused the federal government of “capitulating to the gambling market”.

He applauded Ms Crouch's “bold and principled choice” and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright “ought to be completely ashamed” of prioritising “business interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over good”.

MPs from all sides of your house took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it needs to be talked about 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 been damaged by this dependency ... We need to do this very rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's not ideal.“

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