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

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would come into force in October 2019.

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

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however concepts stick with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had resigned however there had actually been "no delay in advancing this essential procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers

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

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has denied 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 suggested the cut had been planned to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, application of these modifications are now being delayed until October 2019 due to dedications made by others to those with signed up interests.

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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the announcement to minimize stakes and its application, 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, because of that as much as any other, I think this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers should follow cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your desires 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" including: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves big credit not simply for her project but for sticking up for her concepts".

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

Currently, individuals can bet approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the machines let gamers lose money too rapidly, resulting in addiction and social, mental and monetary issues.

But bookies have alerted the cut in stakes could lead to thousands of outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had listened to those who wanted the changes to come into effect faster than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the modifications 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 enter into force next October at the same time as modifications to duty charged on sports betting companies based abroad however operating in the UK.

The government says co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would mean 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 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 various 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 government of "capitulating to the sports betting market".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over great".

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

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are plenty of individuals whose lives have been harmed by this addiction ... We need to do this very quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's not ideal."

Labour has told the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to try and generate the modifications next April.