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

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers.

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 said pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of problem gamblers.

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

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had actually been "no delay in bringing forward this crucial measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers

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

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has denied Labour claims 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 suggested the cut had been planned to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, execution of these modifications are now being postponed till 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 announcement to reduce stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

"In addition, 2 people will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers need to comply with collective obligation 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 applauding her on social media, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and bold" including: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

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

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

Currently, people can bet approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the machines let players lose money too rapidly, leading to dependency and social, psychological and monetary problems.

But bookmakers have alerted the cut in stakes could result in countless outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had listened to those who desired the changes to come into result quicker than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the changes ought to be in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter force next October at the exact same time as changes to responsibility charged on gambling firms based abroad but running in the UK.

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

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually 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 searching and her love of football - she is a qualified FA coach

Grade 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 numerous Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her very first child in 2016 and is believed 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 government of "capitulating to the sports betting industry".

He praised Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be completely ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over excellent".

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

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He told the BBC: "There are plenty of people whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction ... We require to do this extremely rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's not ideal."

Labour has actually informed the BBC that they will put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the modifications next April.