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 "hold-ups" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said 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 bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however concepts remain with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had actually resigned but there had actually been "no delay in advancing this essential measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

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

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

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

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

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

Skip twitter post by Tracey Crouch

Allow Twitter material?

This short article includes material provided by Twitter. We request your consent before anything is filled, as they may be using cookies and other innovations. You may desire to read Twitter's cookie policy, external and personal privacy policy, external before accepting. To see this material pick 'accept and continue'.

Accept and continue

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the announcement to decrease stakes and its execution, 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, because of that as much as any other, I think this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a truth of federal government that ministers need to adhere to collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your dreams connecting 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 dedication to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves big credit not just for her campaign however for sticking up for her concepts".

Fixed-odds sports betting terminals create ₤ 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 casino video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the makers let players lose money too rapidly, leading to addiction and social, mental and monetary problems.

But bookies have cautioned the cut in stakes could cause countless outlets closing.
bet9ja.com
In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had listened to those who desired the modifications to come into result earlier than April 2020 and "had agreed that the changes ought to be in location within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the modification to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the exact same time as modifications to task charged on sports betting companies based abroad but running in the UK.

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

Who is Tracey Crouch?
bet9ja.com
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 hunting and her love of football - she is a competent FA coach

educated at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University

She had actually 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 accused the government of "capitulating to the gaming industry".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "brave and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be completely ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over great".
bit.ly
MPs from all sides of your home took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it must be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later this month.
bet9ja.com
Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
bet9ja.com
He told the BBC: "There are lots of individuals whose lives have actually been damaged by this addiction ... We need to do this really rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's not ideal."

Labour has actually told the BBC that they will put down a change to the Finance Bill to try and generate the changes next April.