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

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said 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 problem bettors.

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

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

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers

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

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has actually rejected Labour claims that MPs had actually been led to believe the cut would come into 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 said: "Unfortunately, execution of these changes are now being postponed up until October 2019 due to commitments made by others to those with registered interests.

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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the announcement to decrease stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

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

She included: "It is a truth of government that ministers need to abide by cumulative responsibility 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 networks, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and brave" adding: "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 however for sticking up for her concepts".

Fixed-odds wagering terminals produce ₤ 1.8 bn in profits a year for the wagering industry, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the federal government.

Currently, individuals can bet as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the devices let gamers lose cash too quickly, causing addiction and social, psychological and monetary problems.

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

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into result earlier than April 2020 and "had agreed that the modifications ought to remain in location 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 exact same time as changes to duty charged on gaming firms based abroad but operating in the UK.

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the two changes would indicate the federal 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, since 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 certified 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 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 very 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 gambling market".

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

MPs from all sides of your house took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it must be talked about as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are lots of people whose lives have actually been damaged by this dependency ... We need to do this really rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's wrong."

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