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sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to wagering crackdown

1 November 2018
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sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices.

Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch stated pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of issue gamblers.

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

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

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering devices'

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

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

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, application of these changes are now being postponed 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 minimize stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.

"In addition, 2 individuals will unfortunately 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."

She added: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers must comply with cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your wishes connecting to your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those praising 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 "deserves huge credit not just for her campaign however for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, people can bet as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the machines let gamers lose cash too quickly, resulting in dependency and social, mental and financial problems.

But bookmakers have the cut in stakes might cause countless outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into impact sooner than April 2020 and "had concurred that the modifications should be in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the modification to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the very same time as changes to task charged on sports betting firms based abroad however running in the UK.

The federal government says co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would imply the government would not be hit by a fall in tax revenue.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

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

Grammar 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 various Tory MPs, including 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 accused the federal government of "capitulating to the gambling market".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over good".

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

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
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He informed the BBC: "There are plenty of individuals whose lives have been harmed by this addiction ... We require to do this extremely rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's wrong."

Labour has informed the BBC that they will put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to attempt and generate the changes next April.
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