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 wagering machines.

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 issue gamblers.

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

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

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually rejected Labour claims that MPs had actually been led to think the cut would come into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had been meant 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 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 minimize stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, 2 individuals 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 reality of government that ministers must comply with cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your desires associating with your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those applauding her on social media, 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 big credit not simply for her project but for sticking up for her principles".

Fixed-odds wagering terminals create ₤ 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 wager as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the makers let players lose money too quickly, leading to addiction and social, psychological and financial issues.

But bookies have cautioned the cut in stakes might result in thousands of outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had actually listened to those who desired the changes to come into result quicker than April 2020 and "had concurred that the modifications should remain in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the change to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the very same time as modifications to responsibility charged on sports betting companies based abroad but running in the UK.

The government states co-ordinating the date of the two changes would suggest the federal 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, 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 qualified FA coach

Grade 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 child in 2016 and is thought 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 gaming market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of your home participated in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it ought 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 a lot of people whose lives have actually 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 not best."

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