sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to wagering 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.
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Ms Crouch stated pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but concepts stick with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had actually resigned but there had actually been "no hold-up in advancing this essential procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

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

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
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The government has actually 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 suggested the cut had been planned to be introduced in April 2020.
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But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, application of these modifications are now being postponed till 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 reduce stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

"In addition, two people will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."
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She included: "It is a fact of government that ministers should stick to cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your desires 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 courageous" adding: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."
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Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of huge credit not simply for her project but for sticking up for her principles".

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

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

But bookies have warned the cut in stakes could result in 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 sooner than April 2020 and "had concurred that the changes must be in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the change to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the exact same time as changes to responsibility charged on gaming companies based abroad however running in the UK.

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the two changes would suggest the government would not be struck by a fall in tax profits.

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
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She is known for her opposition to fox searching and her love of football - she is a competent FA coach

Grade school informed at 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 child in 2016 and is believed 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 government of "capitulating to the gaming market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over excellent".

MPs from all sides of your home participated 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 informed the BBC: "There are lots of people whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction ... We require to do this extremely quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not right."

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