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 makers.

Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter 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 but concepts stick with us permanently."

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

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers

' 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 think the cut would enter force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had actually been planned to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, application of these changes are now being delayed until 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 lower stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.

"In addition, 2 people will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a fact of government that ministers must abide by collective duty and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your dreams connecting to your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those praising her on social networks, 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 huge credit not simply for her project but for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, individuals can bet up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the makers let players lose money too rapidly, causing dependency and social, psychological and financial problems.

But bookmakers have alerted the cut in stakes could result in countless outlets closing.

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

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the modification to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the same time as modifications to duty charged on gambling firms based abroad however operating in the UK.

The federal government says co-ordinating the date of the two changes would suggest the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax income.

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 hunting and her love of football - she is a qualified 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 actually worked for different Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

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 "must be thoroughly 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 stated it must be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are lots of individuals whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction ... We require to do this really 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 wrong."

Labour has actually told the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to try and generate the modifications next April.