sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to sports betting crackdown

1 November 2018

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

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

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

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however concepts stick with us permanently."

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

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has actually denied Labour declares that MPs had actually been led to believe 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 said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these modifications are now being postponed up 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 statement to minimize stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

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

She added: "It is a truth of government that ministers must follow cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your wishes associating with 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" adding: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

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

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

Currently, people can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the devices let gamers lose money too rapidly, resulting in addiction and social, mental and financial issues.

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

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had listened to those who desired the changes to come into result quicker than April 2020 and "had concurred that the changes 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 very same time as changes to task charged on sports betting firms based abroad but running in the UK.

The government says co-ordinating the date of the two modifications 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, considering that 2010

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 qualified FA coach

Grammar 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 meaning 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 accused the federal government of "capitulating to the sports betting industry".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "bold and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of the House signed up with in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it ought to 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 a lot of people whose lives have been damaged by this addiction ... We need to do this extremely rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's not best."

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.