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

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds sports betting 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 said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but principles stick with us forever."

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

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering devices'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

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

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, execution of these modifications 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 minimize stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, two people will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, for that factor as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a truth of government that ministers should adhere to collective duty and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your wishes connecting 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 courageous" including: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of big credit not simply for her project but for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, people can bet approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the makers let players lose money too rapidly, resulting in dependency and social, mental and monetary problems.

But bookmakers have actually warned the cut in stakes could result in thousands of outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had actually listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into impact earlier than April 2020 and "had concurred that the changes must remain in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the modification to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the very same time as modifications to task charged on gaming firms based abroad but running in the UK.

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

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has 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 informed at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University

She had worked for numerous Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her very first kid in 2016 and is believed to have been the 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 "bold and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "corporate 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 needs to be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are a lot of people whose lives have actually been harmed by this dependency ... We require to do this really rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's wrong."

Labour has informed the BBC that they will put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to attempt and generate the changes next April.