sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' 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 makers.

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 could cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur but principles stick with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had been "no delay in bringing forward this essential procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines

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

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually rejected Labour declares that MPs had actually been led to think the cut would enter force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had actually been intended to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, application of these modifications are now being delayed 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 statement to reduce stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

"In addition, two people will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, for that factor as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a truth of government that ministers must abide by cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your desires associating with your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those applauding her on social networks, 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 big credit not simply for her campaign however for sticking up for her concepts".

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

Currently, people can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the makers let players lose cash too quickly, causing dependency and social, mental and monetary issues.

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

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who desired the changes to come into result sooner than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the changes need to remain in location within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter 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 modifications would imply 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, since 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 different Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her first kid in 2016 and is believed to have been the very first Tory minister to take maternity leave

But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson accused the government of "capitulating to the sports betting market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, earnings 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 ought to be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He told the BBC: "There are plenty of people whose lives have actually been harmed by this dependency ... We require to do this really rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's not best."

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