1 Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over 'Hold-up' To Betting Crackdown
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sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to sports betting crackdown

1 November 2018

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

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

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however principles stick with us forever."

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 machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
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The federal government has actually rejected Labour claims that MPs had 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 introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these modifications are now being postponed till 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 machines.

"In addition, two individuals will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, for that factor as much as any other, I think this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers need to comply with collective responsibility 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 media, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and courageous" adding: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves big credit not just for her project however for sticking up for her principles".

Fixed-odds sports betting 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 federal government.

Currently, individuals can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the makers let gamers lose cash too rapidly, and social, psychological and monetary issues.

But bookmakers have actually alerted the cut in stakes could lead to thousands of outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into impact faster than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the modifications should remain in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the modification to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the exact same time as changes to responsibility charged on sports betting companies based abroad but operating in the UK.

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

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, given that 2010

She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015

She is known for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a certified 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 different Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her first child in 2016 and is thought to have been the very first Tory minister to take maternity leave

But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson accused the federal government of "capitulating to the gambling industry".

He praised Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of your home signed up with in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it needs to be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He told the BBC: "There are lots of people whose lives have actually been harmed by this dependency ... We need to do this really quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's wrong."

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