sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to wagering crackdown

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "hold-ups" 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 stated pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of problem bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur but principles remain with us forever."

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

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually denied Labour claims that MPs had 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, execution of these modifications are now being delayed until 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 announcement to lower stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, 2 people will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, because of that as much as any other, I think this delay is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a truth of federal government that ministers should follow cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus 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 "should have substantial credit not just 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 market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.

Currently, individuals can bet up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the machines let gamers lose cash too quickly, resulting in dependency and social, mental and financial problems.

But bookies have actually cautioned the cut in stakes could lead to countless outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had listened to those who wanted the changes to come into result faster than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the changes must remain in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the modification to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the same time as modifications to task charged on sports betting firms based abroad but operating in the UK.

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

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, because 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 competent 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, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election

She had her very first kid 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 accused the federal government of "capitulating to the sports betting market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "bold and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over excellent".

MPs from all sides of your house signed up with in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it needs to 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 plenty of individuals whose lives have been harmed by this dependency ... We need to do this very rapidly, as rapidly 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 right."

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