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

1 November 2018

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

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

Ms Crouch said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of issue bettors.
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She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur 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 delay in bringing forward this essential procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers

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

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
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The government has actually rejected Labour declares that MPs had been led to believe the cut would enter into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had been meant to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, execution of these changes are now being delayed till October 2019 due to dedications 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 announcement to reduce stakes and its implementation, 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 think this delay is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a truth of government that ministers must stick to 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'
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Among those praising 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 just for her campaign however for sticking up for her concepts".

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

Currently, people can wager as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the machines let players lose money too quickly, causing dependency and social, mental and financial problems.

But bookmakers have warned the cut in stakes could result in countless outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had actually listened to those who desired the modifications to come into impact sooner than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the modifications should remain in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the modification to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the exact same time as changes to duty charged on sports betting firms based abroad however running in the UK.

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

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 known for her to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a certified 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 various Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her very first kid in 2016 and is thought 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 gaming market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over excellent".

MPs from all sides of your house participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it must be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

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

Labour has actually informed the BBC that they will put down a change to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the modifications next April.