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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 actually resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines.

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

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but concepts stick with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied 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 makers

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

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has rejected Labour claims that MPs had actually been led to think the cut would enter force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had actually been planned to be introduced in April 2020.

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

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

She included: "It is a truth of federal government that ministers must abide by cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your wishes associating with 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" adding: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "should have big credit not just for her project but for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, individuals can bet as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on establishment video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the makers let players lose money too rapidly, leading to addiction and social, psychological and monetary problems.

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

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had listened to those who desired the changes to come into result faster than April 2020 and "had agreed that the changes ought to be 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 same time as modifications to responsibility charged on sports betting companies based abroad but running in the UK.

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

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 certified 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 various Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her very first kid in 2016 and is believed 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 accused the federal government of "capitulating to the gaming industry".

He praised Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over good".
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MPs from all sides of your home participated in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it must 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 lots of people whose lives have actually been damaged by this dependency ... We require to do this extremely rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. 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 modifications next April.