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 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 stated pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of problem bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however principles remain with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had actually been "no delay in bringing forward this important step".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting devices'

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has rejected Labour declares 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 recommended the cut had been planned to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, application of these modifications are now being postponed up until October 2019 due to dedications made by others to those with registered 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 makers.

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

She included: "It is a reality of government that ministers must abide by cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your dreams associating with 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 "should have big credit not simply for her project however for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, people can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the makers let gamers lose money too quickly, leading to addiction and social, mental and financial problems.

But bookmakers have actually warned the cut in stakes might result in thousands of outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into impact sooner 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 said 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 however operating in the UK.

The federal government says co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would indicate the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax income.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, given 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 various Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her first child in 2016 and is thought to have actually been the very first Tory minister to take maternity leave

But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson implicated the federal government of "capitulating to the sports betting market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of your home participated in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said 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 been harmed by this addiction ... We require to do this extremely quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's not ideal."

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