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

1 November 2018
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sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines.

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 pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of problem gamblers.

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

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

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines'

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has actually denied Labour declares that MPs had actually 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 actually been meant 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 dedications made by others to those with registered interests.

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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

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

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

She included: "It is a reality of government that ministers need to comply with collective responsibility and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your dreams connecting to 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 brave" including: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "should have big credit not simply for her project however for sticking up for her concepts".

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

Currently, individuals can bet as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the devices let gamers lose cash too quickly, resulting in addiction and social, mental and monetary issues.

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

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had listened to those who desired the changes to come into impact earlier than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the modifications should 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 exact same time as modifications to task charged on gambling firms based abroad but running 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 profits.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually 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 qualified FA coach

Grade 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 different Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning 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 implicated the federal government of "capitulating to the gambling industry".

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

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

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He told the BBC: "There are plenty of people whose lives have been damaged by this addiction ... We need to do this very rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's not ideal."

Labour has informed the BBC that they will put down a change to the Finance Bill to attempt and generate the modifications next April.
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