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 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 enter into force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch said pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might 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 however there had been "no delay in bringing forward this essential measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers

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

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has rejected Labour declares 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 changes are now being delayed till 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 minimize stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

"In addition, 2 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 delay is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a truth of federal government that ministers need to follow collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your wishes relating 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 brave" adding: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves big credit not simply for her project but for sticking up for her concepts".

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, people can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the machines let gamers lose money too quickly, leading to addiction and social, psychological and financial issues.

But bookies have warned the cut in stakes might result in countless outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into impact sooner than April 2020 and "had agreed that the modifications need to remain in location within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the very same time as modifications to task charged on sports betting companies based abroad but operating in the UK.

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

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, considering 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 qualified 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 actually worked for numerous Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her very first kid in 2016 and is thought to have actually been the very 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 sports betting market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over excellent".

MPs from all sides of your house took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it ought to be gone over 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 people whose lives have actually been damaged by this dependency ... We require to do this very rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not best."

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