Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns Over Hold-up To Betting Crackdown
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sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to sports betting crackdown
1 November 2018
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "hold-ups" 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 said pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue bettors.
She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however principles stay with us permanently."
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Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned but there had been "no delay in advancing this important step".
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High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines
' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering devices'
sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The government has actually denied Labour claims that MPs had been led to think the cut would come into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had actually been planned to be presented 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 dedications 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 decrease stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.
"In addition, two 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."
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She added: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers should abide by collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your dreams associating with your own portfolio."
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'God bless'
Among those praising her on social networks, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and bold" including: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."
Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves big credit not simply for her campaign but for sticking up for her concepts".
Fixed-odds wagering 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 federal government.
Currently, individuals can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the makers let gamers lose cash too quickly, causing addiction and social, psychological and monetary problems.
But bookmakers have actually warned the cut in stakes might result in thousands of .
In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into result earlier than April 2020 and "had agreed that the changes need to remain in location within the year - by October 2019".
In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the very same time as changes to task charged on sports betting companies based abroad however operating in the UK.
The government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 modifications would indicate the government would not be struck by a fall in tax income.
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 competent FA coach
Grade 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 different Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election
She had her very first child in 2016 and is thought 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 gambling industry".
He applauded Ms Crouch's "brave and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over excellent".
MPs from all sides of your house participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said 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 a lot of people whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction ... We require to do this very quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's wrong."
Labour has actually told the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to try and generate the modifications next April.
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