sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to wagering crackdown
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1 November 2018
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sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds sports betting 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 said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of problem gamblers.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but principles stay with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had resigned however there had been "no delay in bringing forward this essential procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has denied Labour declares 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 suggested the cut had been meant to be presented in April 2020.

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

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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the statement to minimize stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

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

She included: "It is a truth of federal government that ministers need to follow collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your dreams relating to your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those applauding her on social media, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and bold" adding: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves huge credit not simply for her campaign however for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, individuals can bet as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the devices let gamers lose money too quickly, causing addiction and social, mental and monetary issues.

But bookmakers have cautioned the cut in stakes might cause thousands of outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had actually listened to those who desired the modifications to come into result earlier than April 2020 and "had concurred that the changes need to be in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the modification to fixed-odds stakes would enter force next October at the exact same time as modifications to responsibility charged on gaming firms based abroad but running in the UK.

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

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, considering that 2010

She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015
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She is known for her opposition to fox hunting 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 different Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her very 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 government of "capitulating to the sports betting market".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over great".

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

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
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He told the BBC: "There are plenty of individuals whose lives have been damaged by this addiction ... We need to do this really quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market 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 changes next April.
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