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

1 November 2018

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

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

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

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however concepts stick with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had actually been "no delay in advancing this important measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has denied Labour claims that MPs had been led to think 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 introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these modifications are now being postponed up until October 2019 due to commitments 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 lower stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.

"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 think this delay is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers must comply with cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your wishes associating with 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 bold" including: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of big credit not simply for her project but for sticking up for her concepts".

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

Currently, people can bet approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the devices let players lose cash too quickly, resulting in addiction and social, mental and financial issues.

But bookmakers have alerted the cut in stakes could cause thousands of outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had listened to those who desired the changes to come into effect 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 said the modification to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the exact same time as changes to responsibility charged on gaming firms based abroad however operating in the UK.

The government states co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would indicate the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax earnings.

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 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 worked for different Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her 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 implicated the government of "capitulating to the gaming market".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "brave and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be thoroughly 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 ought to 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 plenty of people whose lives have actually been damaged by this addiction ... We need to do this really quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's wrong."

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