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

1 November 2018
bit.ly
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers.
bet9ja.com
Chancellor Philip Hammond said in 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 might cost the lives of problem gamblers.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however concepts remain with us permanently."

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

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines

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

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

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

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

This Twitter post can not be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or attempt a various browser.View initial material on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the material of external websites.

Skip twitter post by Tracey Crouch

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains material offered by Twitter. We ask for your consent before anything is packed, as they may be utilizing cookies and other technologies. You may wish to read Twitter's cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To see this content select 'accept and continue'.

Accept and continue

The BBC is not accountable for the content of external websites.

End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the statement to reduce stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.

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

She added: "It is a truth of federal government that ministers should adhere to collective duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your wishes associating with your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those praising her on social media, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and courageous" including: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "should have substantial credit not simply for her campaign but for sticking up for her concepts".

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

Currently, people can wager as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the makers let players lose cash too quickly, leading to addiction and social, mental and monetary problems.

But bookies have actually alerted the cut in stakes could cause thousands of outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had listened to those who wanted the changes to come into impact earlier than April 2020 and "had concurred that the changes 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 same time as changes to responsibility charged on sports betting companies based abroad however running in the UK.

The government states co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would indicate the government would not be hit by a fall in tax earnings.

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

Grammar 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 standing for election

She had her first child in 2016 and is thought to have actually been the first Tory minister to take maternity leave

But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson implicated the federal government of "capitulating to the gambling market".

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

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

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
bet9ja.com
He told the BBC: "There are plenty of individuals whose lives have been harmed by this addiction ... We require to do this really quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's not ideal."

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