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

Ms Crouch said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of problem bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however concepts remain with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had been "no delay in advancing this crucial procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines

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

sports betting machine 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 recommended the cut had actually been meant to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, execution of these changes are now being postponed till October 2019 due to dedications made by others to those with registered interests.
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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the announcement 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, for that factor as much as any other, I think this delay is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers need to comply with cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your dreams connecting to your own portfolio."

'God bless'
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Among those praising her on social media, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and brave" adding: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "should have big credit not just for her project however for sticking up for her principles".

Fixed-odds sports betting terminals generate ₤ 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, people can bet 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 quickly, causing dependency and social, mental and monetary issues.

But bookmakers have cautioned the cut in stakes might cause thousands of outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who desired the changes to come into result earlier than April 2020 and "had agreed that the changes should remain in location within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the modification to would enter into force next October at the exact same time as modifications to duty charged on sports betting firms based abroad however running in the UK.

The government says co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would indicate the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax revenue.

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

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

She had actually worked for different Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election
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She had her very first kid 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 government of "capitulating to the gaming industry".

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

MPs from all sides of the House joined in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it should 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 a lot of people whose lives have actually been damaged by this dependency ... We require to do this extremely rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's not right."

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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