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 optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices.
Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would come into force in October 2019.
Ms Crouch stated pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might 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 disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned but there had actually been "no hold-up in advancing this essential procedure".
High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices
' I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting devices'
sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The government has actually denied Labour declares that MPs had actually been led to believe the cut would come 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, execution of these changes are now being delayed 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 minimize stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.
"In addition, two individuals will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."
She included: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers should comply with cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus 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 brave" including: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."
Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "should have big credit not just for her project however for sticking up for her concepts".
Fixed-odds sports betting terminals produce ₤ 1.8 bn in income a year for the sports betting market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.
Currently, people can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the makers let gamers lose cash too quickly, resulting in addiction and social, mental and financial problems.
But bookies have actually alerted the cut in stakes might lead to thousands of outlets closing.
In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into result earlier than April 2020 and "had concurred that the changes ought to remain in place within the year - by October 2019".
In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter force next October at the very same time as modifications to responsibility charged on sports betting companies based abroad but running in the UK.
The government says co-ordinating the date of the 2 modifications would imply the government would not be hit by a fall in tax income.
Who is Tracey Crouch?
The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, because 2010
She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015
She is known for her opposition to fox hunting 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 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 gaming market".
He applauded Ms Crouch's "bold and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be completely ashamed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, profits 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 told the BBC: "There are lots of individuals whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction ... We require to do this extremely quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's not right."
Labour has actually told the BBC that they will put down a change to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the changes next April.