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

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering 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 said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur but concepts 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 crucial procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

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

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually rejected 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 recommended the cut had been planned to be presented 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 registered interests.

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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the statement to lower stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, two people 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 included: "It is a reality of government that ministers need to adhere to collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus 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" adding: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

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

Fixed-odds wagering terminals create ₤ 1.8 bn in revenue 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 up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the makers let players lose money too rapidly, resulting in dependency and social, psychological and monetary problems.

But bookies have warned the cut in stakes could result in thousands of outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had actually listened to those who desired the changes to come into result sooner than April 2020 and "had agreed that the modifications must remain in location 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 exact same time as changes to task charged on gambling companies based abroad however operating in the UK.

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

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, considering 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 educated at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University

She had worked for numerous Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her very first child in 2016 and is thought 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 implicated the government of "capitulating to the sports betting industry".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "bold and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over excellent".

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

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are a lot of people whose lives have actually been damaged by this dependency ... We need to do this really quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's not best."

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