sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to sports betting crackdown
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1 November 2018
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sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers.

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 pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue gamblers.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but principles stay with us permanently."

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

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 denied Labour declares that MPs had 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 actually been intended to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, execution of these changes are now being postponed till October 2019 due to commitments 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 statement to decrease stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.

"In addition, two people will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, for that reason as much as any other, I think this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a fact of government that ministers must stick to 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 huge credit not just for her campaign however for sticking up for her concepts".

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

Currently, people can bet as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the machines let gamers lose cash too rapidly, causing dependency and social, psychological and monetary issues.

But bookmakers have alerted the cut in stakes could result in countless outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into result earlier than April 2020 and "had concurred that the modifications need to remain 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 very same time as changes to responsibility charged on gaming firms based abroad however running in the UK.

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

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, since 2010

She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015

She is understood for her opposition to fox searching and her love of football - she is a competent FA coach

Grammar school informed 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 meaning election

She had her first child in 2016 and is thought 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 gaming market".

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

MPs from all sides of your house participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it ought to be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
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He told the BBC: "There are a lot of individuals whose lives have actually been harmed by this dependency ... We need to do this very rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's not right."

Labour has actually told the BBC that they will put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to try and bring in the changes next April.
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