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

1 November 2018

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

Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch stated pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of issue gamblers.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however concepts remain with us permanently."

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

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

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

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has rejected Labour claims that MPs had been led to believe the cut would enter force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had actually 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 till 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 application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

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

She added: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers need to adhere to collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your dreams associating with your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those praising her on social media, 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 huge credit not simply for her project but for sticking up for her concepts".

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

Currently, people can bet as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the makers let gamers lose money too quickly, causing addiction and social, psychological and monetary issues.

But bookies have actually alerted the cut in stakes could cause countless outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had actually listened to those who desired the modifications to come into effect quicker 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 said the modification to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the very same time as changes to duty charged on sports betting firms based abroad however operating in the UK.

The government says co-ordinating the date of the two changes would imply the government would not be hit 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 known for her opposition to fox searching and her love of football - she is a qualified FA coach

Grammar 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, including 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 gaming market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "bold and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of the House participated in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it should 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 individuals whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction ... We require to do this really rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's wrong."

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