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

1 November 2018
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Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering 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 reoccur but principles stick with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May said 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 wagering devices

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

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has rejected Labour declares that MPs had 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, implementation of these changes are now being postponed up until October 2019 due to dedications 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 execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

"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 delay is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers need to adhere to collective responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your dreams relating to 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 courageous" including: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of substantial credit not just for her campaign however for sticking up for her concepts".

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

Currently, individuals can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the devices let gamers lose cash too rapidly, causing dependency and social, psychological and financial issues.

But bookies have actually cautioned the cut in stakes might lead to thousands of outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had actually listened to those who desired the modifications to come into impact sooner than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the modifications ought to 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 modifications to responsibility charged on gambling firms based abroad but running in the UK.

The government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 modifications would mean the government would not be hit by a fall in tax profits.

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

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 various Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her very first kid 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 government of "capitulating to the sports betting market".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of your home signed up with in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it needs to be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
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He told the BBC: "There are plenty of individuals whose lives have actually been damaged by this addiction ... We require to do this very quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's wrong."

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