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 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 might cost the lives of problem bettors.

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

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

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices

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

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

"In addition, two individuals will tragically 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 federal government that ministers need to follow collective responsibility and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your wishes associating with your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those praising her on social networks, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and bold" adding: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

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

Fixed-odds wagering terminals create ₤ 1.8 bn in revenue a year for the wagering industry, 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 gambling establishment games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the devices let players lose cash too rapidly, resulting in dependency and social, psychological and financial issues.

But bookmakers have actually cautioned the cut in stakes might cause thousands of 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 quicker than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the modifications should remain in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the change 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 running in the UK.

The government states co-ordinating the date of the two changes would imply the government would not be hit by a fall in tax earnings.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually 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 hunting and her love of football - she is a qualified FA coach

Grammar 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 representing 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 implicated the government of "capitulating to the sports betting market".

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

MPs from all sides of your home took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it ought 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 plenty of people whose lives have been harmed by this dependency ... We require to do this extremely rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's not right."

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