sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to sports betting crackdown
1 November 2018
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines.
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 pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of problem bettors.
She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but concepts stick with us permanently."
Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually 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 wagering makers'
sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The federal government has actually denied Labour claims that MPs had been led to believe the cut would come into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended 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 lower stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.
"In addition, 2 people will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, for that reason as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."
She added: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers should abide by collective obligation 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 praising her on social networks, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and brave" including: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."
Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "should have substantial credit not just for her project however for sticking up for her concepts".
Fixed-odds wagering terminals produce ₤ 1.8 bn in profits a year for the sports betting industry, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the federal government.
Currently, individuals can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the devices let players lose cash too rapidly, causing dependency and social, psychological and financial issues.
But bookies have cautioned the cut in stakes could cause countless outlets closing.
In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into effect earlier than April 2020 and "had concurred that the changes should 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 same time as modifications to task charged on gambling firms based abroad however operating in the UK.
The government says co-ordinating the date of the two changes would mean the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax profits.
Who is Tracey Crouch?
The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, since 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 certified 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 actually worked for various Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election
She had her first child in 2016 and is believed to have actually 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 "courageous and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be completely ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over good".
MPs from all sides of your house participated in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it ought to be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.
Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
He told the BBC: "There are a lot of people whose lives have been harmed by this dependency ... We require to do this extremely 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 wrong."
Labour has informed the BBC that they will put down a change to the Finance Bill to attempt and generate the modifications next April.