sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to wagering crackdown
1 November 2018
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "hold-ups" 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 into 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 reoccur but principles stick with us permanently."
Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had been "no hold-up in bringing forward this essential step".
High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers
' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines'
sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The government has denied Labour claims that MPs had 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 actually been intended to be presented in April 2020.
But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these modifications 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 decrease stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.
"In addition, two individuals will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, for that factor as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."
She included: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers should adhere to collective duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your wishes 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 dedication to doing right."
Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves huge credit not just for her campaign but for sticking up for her principles".
Fixed-odds wagering terminals generate ₤ 1.8 bn in profits a year for the wagering industry, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.
Currently, people can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the machines let gamers lose cash too rapidly, causing addiction and social, mental and monetary issues.
But bookmakers have actually cautioned the cut in stakes might cause countless outlets closing.
In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had listened to those who desired the changes to come into result quicker than April 2020 and "had agreed that the changes ought to be in place within the year - by October 2019".
In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter force next October at the same time as modifications to task charged on sports betting firms based abroad however running in the UK.
The government states co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would indicate the federal government would not be hit by a fall in tax profits.
Who is Tracey Crouch?
The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, since 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 certified 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 numerous Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election
She had her first child in 2016 and is believed to have been the very 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 gaming market".
He applauded Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over great".
MPs from all sides of your home took part 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 informed the BBC: "There are a lot of individuals whose lives have been harmed by this dependency ... We require to do this very quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not best."
Labour has told the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the modifications next April.
