Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over 'Delay' To Betting Crackdown

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Sports Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to wagering crackdown

sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to sports betting crackdown

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1 November 2018


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


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 said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of issue bettors.


She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however concepts remain with us forever."


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


High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers


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

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sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2


The 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 recommended the cut had actually been planned to be presented in April 2020.


But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, implementation of these modifications are now being delayed up until October 2019 due to commitments 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 statement to decrease stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.


"In addition, 2 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 delay is unjustifiable."


She included: "It is a truth of government that ministers must comply with cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your desires 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" including: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."


Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves substantial credit not simply for her campaign but for sticking up for her principles".


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


Currently, people can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the machines let players lose money too rapidly, causing dependency and social, mental and financial problems.


But bookmakers have actually cautioned the cut in stakes might cause thousands of outlets closing.


In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had listened to those who wanted the changes to come into effect quicker than April 2020 and "had agreed that the changes ought to remain in location 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 exact same time as modifications to task charged on gambling companies based abroad however operating in the UK.


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


Who is Tracey Crouch?


The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, because 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 certified 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 actually worked for various Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election


She had her very first kid 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 government of "capitulating to the gambling market".


He praised Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, earnings 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 must be talked about as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.


Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill


He informed the BBC: "There are a lot of individuals whose lives have been harmed by this dependency ... We require to do this very rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's not ideal."


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

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