sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to sports betting crackdown

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "hold-ups" 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 force in October 2019.

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

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but concepts remain with us forever."

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

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

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

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually denied Labour claims that MPs had 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, implementation of these modifications are now being postponed till October 2019 due to commitments 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 reduce stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

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

She added: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers need to abide by collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your dreams connecting 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 brave" 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 wagering terminals create ₤ 1.8 bn in income a year for the wagering market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.

Currently, individuals can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the makers let players lose cash too quickly, causing dependency and social, psychological and financial issues.

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

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had listened to those who desired the changes 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".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the change to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the exact 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 modifications would imply the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax income.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has 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 searching and her love of football - she is a competent FA coach

Grade 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 different 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

But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson accused the government of "capitulating to the gambling market".

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

MPs from all sides of your home participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it must be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He told the BBC: "There are plenty of people whose lives have been harmed by this addiction ... We require to do this really quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's wrong."

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