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Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over ‘Hold-up’ To Betting Crackdown

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 maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering 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 stated pressing back the date was “unjustifiable” and it could cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: “Politicians reoccur but concepts stick with us permanently.”

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had actually been “no hold-up in advancing this essential measure”.

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

‘ I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting machines’

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has claims that MPs had actually 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 intended to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: “Unfortunately, application of these modifications are now being delayed 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 statement to lower 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, because of that as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable.”

She added: “It is a truth of federal government that ministers need to adhere to cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your wishes connecting 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 “deserves substantial credit not just for her campaign but for sticking up for her concepts”.

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

Currently, individuals can bet as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the machines let players lose cash too rapidly, causing addiction and social, psychological and financial problems.

But bookies have cautioned the cut in stakes might lead to countless 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 impact faster than April 2020 and “had actually concurred that the modifications ought to be 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 same time as modifications to responsibility charged on sports betting firms based abroad however operating in the UK.

The government says co-ordinating the date of the 2 modifications would indicate 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, 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

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 various Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing 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 accused the federal government of “capitulating to the gambling industry”.

He applauded Ms Crouch’s “brave and principled decision” and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright “need to be thoroughly embarrassed” of prioritising “business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over excellent”.

MPs from all sides of your house participated in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it should be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: “There are plenty of individuals whose lives have actually been damaged by this dependency … We require to do this extremely rapidly, as quickly 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 an amendment to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the modifications next April.