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

1 November 2018

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

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 stated pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of issue gamblers.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however principles stay with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had been "no delay in bringing forward this important procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers

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

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has 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 suggested the cut had been intended to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, execution of these modifications are now being postponed 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 statement to minimize stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, 2 people 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."

She added: "It is a truth of government that ministers must stick to cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your desires associating with your own portfolio."

'God bless'

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

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

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

Currently, individuals can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the machines let gamers lose cash too rapidly, causing dependency and social, mental and financial issues.

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

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had listened to those who wanted the changes to come into result earlier than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the changes ought to be in location 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 changes to duty charged on gambling firms based abroad however running in the UK.

The government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would mean the government would not be struck by a fall in tax income.

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

Grade school informed at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University

She had actually worked for various Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for 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 implicated the government of "capitulating to the gambling market".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "bold and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over excellent".

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

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are plenty of individuals whose lives have actually been damaged by this addiction ... We require to do this extremely quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling 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 generate the modifications next April.