sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over ‘hold-up’ to wagering crackdown
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1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over “delays” to a crackdown on maximum 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 into force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch said pressing back the date was “unjustifiable” and it could cost the lives of problem gamblers.

She tweeted: “Politicians reoccur however principles stick with us forever.”

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had been “no hold-up in bringing forward this important step”.

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

’ I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting makers’
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sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has denied Labour claims 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 been intended to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: “Unfortunately, application of these modifications 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 announcement to minimize stakes and its implementation, 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 problems and, because of that as much as any other, I think this hold-up is unjustifiable.”

She added: “It is a fact of government that ministers should comply with cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your desires 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 brave” including: “May God bless her commitment to doing right.”

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she “is worthy of substantial credit not just for her project however for sticking up for her concepts”.

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

Currently, individuals can wager as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the devices let players lose money too rapidly, causing addiction and social, mental and monetary problems.

But bookmakers have actually alerted the cut in stakes could result in thousands of outlets closing.
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In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had listened to those who wanted the changes to come into effect quicker than April 2020 and “had actually agreed that the modifications should remain in location within the year - by October 2019”.

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter force next October at the very same time as changes to responsibility charged on gaming firms based abroad but running in the UK.

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would imply the government would not be hit by a fall in tax profits.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, given that 2010
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She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015

She is known for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a certified FA coach
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Grammar school educated at 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 representing election
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She had her very first child in 2016 and is believed to have actually been the very 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 sports betting industry”.

He applauded Ms Crouch’s “courageous and principled choice” and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright “need to be completely embarrassed” of prioritising “business interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over great”.

MPs from all sides of your home 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 told the BBC: “There are plenty of individuals whose lives have actually been damaged by this dependency … We require to do this extremely rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That’s not best.”

Labour has told the BBC that they will put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to try and bring in the modifications next April.