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

1 November 2018
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sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said in that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter force in October 2019.

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

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

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had resigned however there had actually been "no hold-up in bringing forward this important procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines

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

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

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

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, application of these modifications 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 statement to decrease stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, two people will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, because of that as much as any other, I think this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a truth of government that ministers need to abide by cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your desires 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" adding: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "should have substantial credit not just for her project however for sticking up for her concepts".

Fixed-odds wagering 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 government.

Currently, people can bet approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the devices let gamers lose cash too rapidly, leading to addiction and social, psychological and financial issues.

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

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who desired the modifications to come into effect sooner than April 2020 and "had agreed that the modifications need to be in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the modification to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the same time as modifications to task charged on sports betting firms based abroad however operating in the UK.

The government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 modifications would indicate the government would not be hit by a fall in tax profits.

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 known for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a competent 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 numerous Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her very first child in 2016 and is believed to have been the very first Tory minister to take maternity leave
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But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson implicated the government of "capitulating to the gaming industry".

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

MPs from all sides of your home participated in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said 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 a lot of people whose lives have been damaged by this addiction ... We require to do this extremely rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's not ideal."

Labour has informed the BBC that they will put down a change to the Finance Bill to try and bring in the changes next April.