sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to sports betting crackdown
1 November 2018
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sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering 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 might cost the lives of problem gamblers.
She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but concepts stick with us forever."
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 important step".
High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines
' I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting makers'
sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The federal government has rejected Labour declares that MPs had actually been led to think 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 modifications are now being postponed till 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 lower stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.
"In addition, two individuals will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."
She added: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers should stick to collective responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your desires 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" adding: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."
Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves substantial credit not just for her campaign however for sticking up for her principles".
Fixed-odds sports betting terminals produce ₤ 1.8 bn in revenue a year for the sports betting market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the federal government.
Currently, individuals can bet as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the devices let players lose cash too quickly, leading to addiction and social, mental and monetary issues.
But bookmakers have cautioned the cut in stakes could lead to countless outlets closing.
In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into impact faster than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the modifications should remain in place within the year - by October 2019".
In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the same time as changes to responsibility charged on gaming companies based abroad but running in the UK.
The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would imply the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax earnings.
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Who is Tracey Crouch?
The 43-year-old MP has 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 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 actually worked for various Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election
She had her first kid 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 federal government of "capitulating to the gambling industry".
He applauded Ms Crouch's "brave and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over excellent".
MPs from all sides of your home took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it ought to be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later this month.
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Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
He told the BBC: "There are a lot of individuals whose lives have been harmed by this dependency ... We need to do this very rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not best."
Labour has told the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the modifications next April.
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Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over 'Hold up' To Betting Crackdown
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