Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over 'Delay' To Betting Crackdown

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


1 November 2018


sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines.


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


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


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


High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines


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


sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2


The government has rejected Labour declares that MPs had actually been led to believe 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, execution 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 announcement to reduce stakes and its implementation, 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 factor as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."


She added: "It is a reality of government that ministers should adhere to cumulative duty 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 networks, 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 "should have substantial credit not just for her project however for sticking up for her principles".


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


Currently, individuals can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the devices let players lose money too rapidly, causing dependency and social, mental and financial problems.


But bookies have actually warned the cut in stakes could lead to countless outlets closing.


In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into effect quicker than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the modifications must be in location within the year - by October 2019".


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


The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 modifications would imply the government would not be hit 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 qualified 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 actually worked for numerous Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election


She had her first kid in 2016 and is believed 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 praised Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be completely ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over good".


MPs from all sides of the House participated in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it ought to be talked about as part of the Finance Bill later on 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 dependency ... We require to do this really rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not ideal."


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