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

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" 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 enter into force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue bettors.

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

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had resigned but there had actually been "no hold-up in advancing this crucial measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering devices'

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal 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 been intended to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being postponed till 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 lower stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.

"In addition, 2 individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a truth of government that ministers should abide by cumulative responsibility 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 praising her on social media, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and bold" including: "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 however for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, people can bet up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the machines let players lose cash too quickly, leading to addiction and social, mental and financial problems.

But bookies have actually warned the cut in stakes could cause thousands of outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into result 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 change to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the exact same time as modifications to duty charged on gaming firms based abroad however running in the UK.

The government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 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 actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, considering 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 various Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her first kid in 2016 and is thought 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 government of "capitulating to the sports betting industry".

He praised Ms Crouch's "bold and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over good".

MPs from all sides of the House participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it must be discussed 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 very quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's not ideal."

Labour has told the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to attempt and generate the changes next April.