Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over 'Delay' To Betting Crackdown

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Sports Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to wagering crackdown

sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to sports betting crackdown


1 November 2018


sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers.


Chancellor Philip Hammond said in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would come into force in October 2019.

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


She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however principles stay 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 essential procedure".


High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices


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


sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2


The federal government has denied Labour declares that MPs had been led to think the cut would come into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had actually been meant to be presented in April 2020.


But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, application 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 statement to minimize stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.


"In addition, two people will unfortunately 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 cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your desires relating to your own portfolio."


'God bless'


Among those applauding her on social networks, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and bold" adding: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."


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


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


Currently, individuals can bet approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the machines let players lose cash too quickly, resulting in addiction and social, psychological and monetary issues.

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But bookies have actually warned the cut in stakes could cause thousands of outlets closing.


In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had actually listened to those who desired the modifications to come into impact quicker than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the modifications ought to be in place within the year - by October 2019".


In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the same time as changes to task charged on gaming companies based abroad however running in the UK.


The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the two changes would suggest the government would not be hit by a fall in tax revenue.


Who is Tracey Crouch?


The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, because 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 searching and her love of football - she is a competent 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 worked for various Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election


She had her first kid in 2016 and is thought 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 federal government of "capitulating to the gaming industry".


He praised Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over good".


MPs from all sides of your house participated 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

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He informed the BBC: "There are plenty of people whose lives have actually been damaged by this dependency ... We need to do this extremely rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's not ideal."


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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