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

1 November 2018

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

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 could cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however principles stick with us forever."

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

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices

' 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 been led to believe the cut would come into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had actually been planned to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, application of these changes are now being delayed 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 decrease stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.

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

She included: "It is a fact of government that ministers must abide by collective duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your dreams connecting to your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those praising her on social networks, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and courageous" adding: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of big credit not simply for her project however for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, individuals can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the makers let gamers lose cash too quickly, leading to addiction and social, psychological and financial issues.

But bookmakers have actually alerted the cut in stakes could lead to countless outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into result sooner than April 2020 and "had agreed that the changes 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 enter force next October at the same time as changes to task charged on sports betting firms based abroad but operating in the UK.

The government states co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would suggest 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 known for her opposition to fox searching and her love of football - she is a competent 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 different Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her first child in 2016 and is thought to have 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 gambling market".

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

MPs from all sides of your home joined in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it needs to be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are a lot of individuals whose lives have been damaged by this addiction ... We require to do this really rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting 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 attempt and generate the modifications next April.