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 optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers.

Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in Monday’s Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter 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 come and go but concepts stay with us forever.”
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Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned but there had actually been “no hold-up in advancing this essential procedure”.
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High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers

’ I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers’

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

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

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: “Unfortunately, execution of these changes are now being postponed up until 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 minimize stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

“In addition, 2 individuals will tragically 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 included: “It is a fact of government that ministers must adhere to collective duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your wishes associating with 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” including: “May God bless her commitment to doing right.”

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she “should have substantial credit not simply for her project 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 federal government.
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Currently, can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the machines let players lose money too quickly, causing dependency and social, psychological and financial issues.
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But bookies have actually alerted the cut in stakes might cause countless outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into result earlier than April 2020 and “had concurred that the modifications must be in location 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 modifications to duty charged on gaming firms based abroad but operating in the UK.

The federal government says co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would imply the federal government would not be hit by a fall in tax income.

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
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She is known for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a competent 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 worked for various Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning 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 gambling industry”.

He applauded Ms Crouch’s “bold and principled decision” and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright “need to be thoroughly ashamed” of prioritising “corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over good”.

MPs from all sides of the House participated 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

He informed the BBC: “There are lots of people whose lives have been damaged by this addiction … We require to do this very quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That’s not best.”

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