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 optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices.

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

Ms Crouch said pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur but principles stay with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had been "no hold-up in advancing this crucial measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers

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

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually denied Labour declares that MPs had been led to believe the cut would enter force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had actually been planned to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, application of these changes 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 statement to decrease stakes and its implementation, 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, because of that as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."

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

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

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

Currently, individuals can bet as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the devices let gamers lose money too rapidly, resulting in dependency and social, mental and financial issues.

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

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had actually listened to those who desired the changes to come into result sooner than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the changes must remain 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 same time as modifications to responsibility charged on sports betting firms based abroad however operating in the UK.

The government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 modifications would indicate the federal government would not be hit by a fall in tax revenue.

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

Grade 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 child 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 accused the federal government of "capitulating to the gaming market".

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

MPs from all sides of your house took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it must be talked about as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He told the BBC: "There are lots of individuals whose lives have been harmed by this dependency ... We require to do this really quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's wrong."

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