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 maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices.

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

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

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had resigned but there had actually been "no hold-up in bringing forward this important step".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines'

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

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

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

"In addition, two individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, because of that as much as any other, I think this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers should abide by collective 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 applauding her on social networks, 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 "deserves big credit not simply for her campaign however for sticking up for her principles".

Fixed-odds sports betting terminals create ₤ 1.8 bn in revenue a year for the sports betting 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 roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the machines let gamers lose money too quickly, resulting in dependency and social, psychological and monetary problems.

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

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into effect earlier than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the modifications ought to 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 force next October at the very same time as changes to duty charged on gaming firms based abroad however operating in the UK.

The government says co-ordinating the date of the two changes would indicate the government would not be hit by a fall in tax earnings.

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 understood for her opposition to fox searching and her love of football - she is a qualified FA coach

Grammar school informed at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University

She had actually worked for numerous 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 first Tory minister to take maternity leave

But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson accused the government of "capitulating to the gaming industry".

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

MPs from all sides of your home took part 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 plenty of people whose lives have been harmed by this dependency ... 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 a result of this hold-up. That's wrong."

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