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 enter force in October 2019.

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

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

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

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

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

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has denied Labour claims that MPs had actually been led to believe the cut would enter force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had been intended 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 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 announcement to lower stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, 2 people will unfortunately 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 reality of government that ministers must adhere to cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your desires connecting to 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 dedication to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves big credit not simply for her campaign however for sticking up for her concepts".

Fixed-odds wagering 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 government.

Currently, people can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the devices let gamers lose cash too rapidly, leading to addiction and social, mental and financial problems.

But bookies have actually cautioned the cut in stakes could result in thousands of outlets closing.

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

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

The government states co-ordinating the date of the two changes would imply the federal 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, given that 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 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, including 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 gaming industry".

He praised Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over excellent".

MPs from all sides of your house signed up with in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it needs to be talked about 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 individuals whose lives have actually been damaged by this addiction ... We require to do this extremely rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming 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 a modification to the Finance Bill to attempt and generate the modifications next April.