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

1 November 2018

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

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur but concepts stick with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had actually been "no hold-up in bringing forward this essential procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering devices'

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The 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 recommended the cut had been meant to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being delayed 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 statement to reduce stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.

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

She added: "It is a fact of government that ministers should abide by collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your desires connecting to 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" including: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of huge credit not simply for her campaign but for sticking up for her concepts".

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

Currently, individuals can wager as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the devices let gamers lose money too rapidly, resulting in addiction and social, mental and financial problems.

But bookies have actually alerted the cut in stakes could lead to countless outlets closing.

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

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

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

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 competent FA coach

Grammar school educated at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University

She had worked for various Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election

She had her first kid in 2016 and is believed to have actually been the first Tory minister to take maternity leave

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

He praised Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over good".

MPs from all sides of the House participated in 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 lots of individuals whose lives have actually been damaged by this addiction ... We require to do this really rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's not right."

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