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

1 November 2018

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

Chancellor Philip Hammond said in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would come into force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch stated pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue gamblers.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur but concepts remain with us forever."

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

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually rejected Labour declares that MPs had actually 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 intended to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, execution of these modifications are now being delayed up until 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 lower stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.

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

She included: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers must abide by cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your desires connecting 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 courageous" adding: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

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

Fixed-odds wagering terminals produce ₤ 1.8 bn in revenue a year for the wagering market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.

Currently, people can wager as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the makers let gamers lose money too quickly, causing dependency and social, psychological and monetary problems.

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

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had listened to those who desired the modifications to come into effect faster than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the changes should be in place within the year - by October 2019".

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

The government states co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would imply the federal government would not be hit by a fall in tax income.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually 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 competent 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 different Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election

She had her very first child in 2016 and is believed to have been the 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 gaming market".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of your home took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it needs 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 plenty of individuals whose lives have been harmed by this addiction ... We require to do this very quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's wrong."

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