sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to wagering crackdown
1 November 2018
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines.
Chancellor Philip Hammond said 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 problem gamblers.
She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however concepts stick with us forever."
Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had actually been "no delay in advancing this essential step".
High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices
' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'
sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The federal government has actually denied Labour claims 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 been planned to be presented in April 2020.
But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, application of these changes are now being delayed 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 execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.
"In addition, 2 people will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, for that reason as much as any other, I believe this delay 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 associating with 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 courageous" including: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."
Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves huge credit not just for her project but for sticking up for her concepts".
Fixed-odds wagering 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 federal government.
Currently, people can bet as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the makers let players lose money too rapidly, causing addiction and social, mental and monetary problems.
But bookies have cautioned the cut in stakes could lead to countless outlets closing.
In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into effect earlier than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the changes must 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 into force next October at the very same time as modifications to task charged on gaming companies based abroad but operating in the UK.
The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would indicate the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax revenue.
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 competent FA coach
Grammar school informed at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University
She had worked for numerous Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election
She had her very first kid 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 federal government of "capitulating to the gambling industry".
He applauded Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over great".
MPs from all sides of your home participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it needs to be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.
Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
He told the BBC: "There are a lot of people whose lives have been harmed by this dependency ... We require to do this really quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's wrong."
Labour has actually informed the BBC that they will put down a change to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the changes next April.
