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

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines.

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 said pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of problem bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however concepts stay with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned but there had been "no hold-up in bringing forward this important procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices

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

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually denied 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 introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being postponed up 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 announcement to reduce stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

"In addition, two people will unfortunately 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 included: "It is a truth of government that ministers need to abide by cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your dreams relating to 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 "should have substantial credit not just for her campaign but for sticking up for her concepts".

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

Currently, people can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the machines let gamers lose money too quickly, leading to addiction and social, mental and monetary problems.

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

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had actually listened to those who desired the changes to come into result sooner than April 2020 and "had agreed that the changes should be in place 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 exact same time as changes to responsibility charged on sports betting companies based abroad however running in the UK.

The government says co-ordinating the date of the two changes would suggest the government would not be struck by a fall in tax earnings.

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 understood for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a certified FA coach

Grade school informed 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 child 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 federal government of "capitulating to the gaming market".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be completely ashamed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over good".

MPs from all sides of the House signed up with in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it ought 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 plenty of people whose lives have actually been damaged by this dependency ... We require to do this really quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's wrong."

Labour has actually told the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the modifications next April.