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

Chancellor Philip Hammond said 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 reoccur but concepts remain with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned but there had been "no delay in advancing this crucial measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines

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

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The has actually denied Labour claims that MPs had been led to think the cut would enter force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had been intended to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being postponed up until 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 announcement to minimize stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

"In addition, 2 individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, because of that as much as any other, I think this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers must abide by cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your desires relating to your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those praising her on social networks, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and courageous" adding: "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 principles".

Fixed-odds wagering terminals create ₤ 1.8 bn in profits a year for the wagering 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 casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the machines let gamers lose money too quickly, resulting in addiction and social, psychological and financial issues.

But bookmakers have cautioned the cut in stakes could cause thousands of outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had listened to those who desired the modifications to come into effect faster than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the modifications should remain in location within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the very same time as modifications to duty charged on gaming firms based abroad however operating in the UK.

The government states 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 qualified FA coach

Grammar school educated at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University
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She had worked for numerous Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her very first kid in 2016 and is believed 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 accused the federal government of "capitulating to the gaming industry".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over good".

MPs from all sides of the House took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it must be discussed 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 been damaged by this dependency ... We require to do this very quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's wrong."

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