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

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" 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 pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of problem bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but principles stick with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had actually resigned but there had been "no hold-up in advancing this important step".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has denied Labour declares 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 actually been planned to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, application of these changes are now being delayed until 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 decrease stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, 2 individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers must abide by cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your wishes connecting to 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 bold" including: "May God bless her commitment 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 sports betting terminals generate ₤ 1.8 bn in earnings a year for the wagering market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.

Currently, people can bet up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the devices let gamers lose cash too rapidly, resulting in addiction and social, psychological and monetary issues.

But bookies have actually cautioned the cut in stakes might result in countless outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into result earlier than April 2020 and "had concurred that the modifications must 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 very same time as changes to responsibility charged on gaming firms based abroad but running in the UK.

The government says co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would imply the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax revenue.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually 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 competent 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 actually worked for numerous Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

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

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

MPs from all sides of your home joined in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it must 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 people whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction ... We need to do this really rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's not ideal."

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