sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to sports betting crackdown
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1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting 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 pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of problem bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however principles stay with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had been "no hold-up in advancing this essential measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines

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

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has denied Labour declares that MPs had actually 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 meant to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, application of these changes are now being delayed up until 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 statement to lower stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, two individuals will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, because of that as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."
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She included: "It is a reality of government that ministers need to stick to cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your desires 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 bold" adding: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "is worthy of huge credit not simply for her campaign but for sticking up for her concepts".
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Fixed-odds sports betting terminals generate ₤ 1.8 bn in earnings a year for the wagering industry, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.

Currently, people can bet up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the devices let gamers lose money too quickly, leading to dependency and social, mental and monetary problems.

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

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had listened to those who desired the modifications to come into effect faster than April 2020 and "had agreed that the changes ought to remain in place within the year - by October 2019".

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

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would imply 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, because 2010

She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015

She is understood for her opposition to fox searching and her love of football - she is a competent 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 actually worked for different Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her very first kid 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 implicated the federal government of "capitulating to the gambling market".

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

MPs from all sides of your house joined in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it must be talked about as part of the Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are lots of people whose lives have actually been damaged by this dependency ... We require to do this very quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's not best."

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