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 sports betting machines.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter into force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue gamblers.

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

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

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines'

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has denied Labour declares that MPs had 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 actually been intended to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being delayed 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 decrease stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.

"In addition, 2 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 delay is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers should adhere to cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your dreams relating to your own portfolio."

'God bless'

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

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

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

Currently, individuals can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the machines let gamers lose money too quickly, causing addiction and social, mental and financial issues.

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

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into result faster than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the modifications need to remain 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 modifications to duty charged on gaming companies based abroad but operating in the UK.

The government says co-ordinating the date of the 2 modifications would mean the government would not be struck by a fall in tax earnings.

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 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, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her first kid in 2016 and is believed to have 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 gambling industry".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of the House participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it needs to be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are a lot of people whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction ... We require to do this really quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's wrong."

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