sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to sports betting crackdown

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on maximum 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 come 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 come and go but principles stick with us forever."

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

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices

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

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has rejected Labour declares that MPs had been led to believe the cut would enter 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, application of these modifications are now being postponed 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 implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.

"In addition, 2 people will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, for that reason as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers must stick to cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your desires relating to 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 courageous" including: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of big credit not just for her campaign but for sticking up for her principles".

Fixed-odds wagering 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, individuals can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the machines let gamers lose cash too quickly, causing addiction and social, mental and financial issues.

But bookies have actually alerted the cut in stakes could lead to thousands of outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had actually listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into impact faster than April 2020 and "had agreed that the changes need to be in location 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 same time as changes to responsibility charged on gambling firms based abroad but operating in the UK.

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 modifications would indicate the government would not be struck by a fall in tax revenue.

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 understood for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a qualified 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 worked for numerous Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election

She had her first child 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 implicated the federal government of "capitulating to the sports betting market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of your house signed up with in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it needs to be talked about as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He told the BBC: "There are lots of people whose lives have been harmed by this dependency ... We require to do this very rapidly, 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 not best."

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