sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to wagering crackdown
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1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on optimal 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 into force in October 2019.
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Ms Crouch said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of problem gamblers.

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

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

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines

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

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually rejected Labour claims that MPs had actually 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 planned to be presented in April 2020.

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

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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the announcement to and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

"In addition, 2 people will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, for that reason as much as any other, I think this delay is unjustifiable."

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 wishes relating to your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those applauding 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 just for her project but for sticking up for her concepts".

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

Currently, people can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the makers let players lose money too quickly, resulting in dependency and social, mental and monetary problems.

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

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into impact sooner than April 2020 and "had concurred that the changes need to be in location within the year - by October 2019".
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In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the change to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the same time as modifications to duty charged on gambling firms based abroad but running in the UK.

The federal government says co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would suggest the government would not be hit by a fall in tax revenue.
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Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually 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 certified FA coach

Grade school informed at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University
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She had actually worked for different Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her very first child in 2016 and is believed to have 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 sports betting industry".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be completely ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over good".

MPs from all sides of your house participated in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it needs to be talked about as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
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He informed the BBC: "There are plenty of individuals whose lives have been damaged by this dependency ... We require to do this extremely quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not ideal."

Labour has actually informed the BBC that they will put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the changes next April.