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

1 November 2018
bit.ly
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "hold-ups" to a on maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers.

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 stated pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue bettors.
bet9ja.com
She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however principles stay 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 crucial measure".
bit.ly
High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering devices'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has 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 been intended to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, application of these modifications are now being postponed up until October 2019 due to dedications made by others to those with signed up interests.

This Twitter post can not be displayed in your web browser. Please make it possible for Javascript or try a different browser.View original material on Twitter The BBC is not accountable for the material of external websites.

Skip twitter post by Tracey Crouch

Allow Twitter material?

This post contains content offered by Twitter. We request your permission before anything is filled, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to check out Twitter's cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this material select 'accept and continue'.

Accept and continue

The BBC is not accountable for the material of external websites.
bet9ja.com
End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the statement to decrease stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

"In addition, 2 individuals will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, for that factor as much as any other, I think this hold-up is unjustifiable."
bit.ly
She included: "It is a truth of federal government that ministers need to follow cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your dreams associating with your own portfolio."

'God bless'

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

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves substantial credit not simply for her project but for sticking up for her principles".

Fixed-odds sports betting terminals produce ₤ 1.8 bn in earnings 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 up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the devices let gamers lose cash too rapidly, resulting in addiction and social, mental and monetary problems.

But bookmakers have warned the cut in stakes might cause thousands of outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had actually listened to those who desired the modifications to come into impact faster than April 2020 and "had concurred that the modifications need to remain in place 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 responsibility charged on gaming firms based abroad however operating in the UK.

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would indicate the government would not be hit by a fall in tax revenue.

Who is Tracey Crouch?
bit.ly
The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, because 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 certified 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, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her very first kid in 2016 and is thought to have actually 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 market".

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

MPs from all sides of the House participated in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it ought to be gone over 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 been harmed by this addiction ... We need to do this extremely quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's wrong."

Labour has informed the BBC that they will put down a change to the Finance Bill to try and generate the changes next April.