sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to wagering 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 stated in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter force in October 2019.

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

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however concepts stick with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had been "no delay in advancing this important procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually rejected Labour declares that MPs had been led to think the cut would come into 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.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being delayed until October 2019 due to commitments 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 announcement to decrease stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, two people will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, for that factor as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers must comply with cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your dreams relating 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 bold" adding: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "should have huge credit not simply for her project but for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, people can bet as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the machines let gamers lose money too rapidly, causing dependency and social, psychological and financial issues.

But bookmakers have actually cautioned the cut in stakes might lead to thousands of outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into result sooner than April 2020 and "had concurred that the modifications should be 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 modifications to responsibility charged on gaming companies based abroad but running in the UK.

The government says co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would imply the government would not be hit by a fall in tax income.

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 certified 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, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her 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 sports betting market".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "brave and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be completely ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of the House signed up with in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it must be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are lots of individuals whose lives have been damaged by this addiction ... We require to do this very quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not right."

Labour has told the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to try and bring in the modifications next April.