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 wagering machines.

Chancellor Philip Hammond stated 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 might cost the lives of problem bettors.

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

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had actually been "no delay in bringing forward this essential step".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has rejected Labour claims that MPs had actually 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 meant to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation 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 statement to lower stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

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

She included: "It is a fact of government that ministers must stick to collective duty and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your dreams 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" including: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

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

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

Currently, individuals can bet approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the makers let gamers lose money too quickly, leading to addiction and social, mental and monetary problems.

But bookmakers have actually warned the cut in stakes could lead to countless outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had listened to those who desired the modifications to come into impact sooner than April 2020 and "had agreed that the modifications should be in location 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 exact same time as changes to responsibility charged on sports betting firms based abroad however running in the UK.

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the two changes would imply the federal 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, given that 2010

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

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

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

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

He applauded Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of the House participated in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it needs to be talked about 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 people whose lives have been harmed by this dependency ... We need to do this very quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's not best."

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