sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' 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 devices.

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 said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of problem gamblers.

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

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had resigned but there had actually been "no hold-up in bringing forward this essential procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually denied Labour claims 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 meant to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, application of these changes 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 announcement to reduce stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

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

She included: "It is a truth of federal government that ministers must follow collective responsibility and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your dreams 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 courageous" 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 but for sticking up for her principles".

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

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

But bookies have warned the cut in stakes might lead to thousands of outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had listened to those who desired the changes to come into impact faster than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the modifications ought to be in location 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 exact same time as changes to responsibility charged on gaming companies based abroad but running in the UK.

The government says co-ordinating the date of the 2 modifications would mean the 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 searching and her love of football - she is a competent 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, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her first child in 2016 and is believed 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 sports betting market".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be completely ashamed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of your home participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it needs to be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He told the BBC: "There are lots of individuals whose lives have actually been damaged by this dependency ... We require to do this extremely quickly, 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 wrong."

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