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

1 November 2018
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sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over “delays” to a crackdown on optimal 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 force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch said pressing back the date was “unjustifiable” and it might cost the lives of problem gamblers.

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

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

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers

’ I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering devices’

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has actually rejected Labour declares that MPs had been led to think the cut would come 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, execution of these changes are now being postponed 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 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 issues and, for that factor as much as any other, I think this delay is unjustifiable.”

She included: “It is a truth of federal government that ministers need to follow collective duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus 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 brave” including: “May God bless her commitment to doing right.”

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she “is worthy of substantial credit not just for her campaign but for sticking up for her principles”.

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

Currently, people can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the makers let gamers lose cash too quickly, leading to addiction and social, psychological and monetary problems.

But bookmakers have alerted the cut in stakes might lead to countless outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had listened to those who wanted the changes to come into impact sooner than April 2020 and “had actually concurred that the modifications must be in location 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 very same time as modifications to duty charged on gaming firms based abroad however in the UK.

The government says co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would imply the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax profits.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, since 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 competent FA coach
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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 representing election

She had her very first kid in 2016 and is believed to have been the very 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 sports betting market”.

He praised Ms Crouch’s “courageous and principled decision” and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright “need to be completely embarrassed” of prioritising “business interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over great”.

MPs from all sides of your house took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it ought to be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
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He informed the BBC: “There are lots of individuals whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction … We need to do this really rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That’s wrong.”

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