Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns Over Delay To Betting Crackdown
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sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to wagering crackdown
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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 said in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would enter force in October 2019.
Ms Crouch said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of issue bettors.
She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but concepts stick with us forever."
Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had actually been "no hold-up in bringing forward this essential procedure".
High stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines
' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines'
sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The government has rejected Labour declares that MPs had actually been led to think the cut would enter into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had actually been intended to be presented in April 2020.
But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, implementation of these modifications are now being postponed till October 2019 due to commitments 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 lower stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.
"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 think this delay is unjustifiable."
She added: "It is a truth of government that ministers must comply with collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your wishes 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 "is worthy of huge credit not just for her campaign but for sticking up for her principles".
Fixed-odds wagering ₤ 1.8 bn in income a year for the wagering industry, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the federal government.
Currently, people can bet up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the devices let players lose cash too quickly, leading to addiction and social, psychological and financial problems.
But bookies have alerted the cut in stakes could result in countless outlets closing.
In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into effect quicker than April 2020 and "had concurred that the modifications ought to remain 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 same time as changes to task charged on gambling firms based abroad but operating in the UK.
The federal government says co-ordinating the date of the two changes would suggest the federal government would not be hit by a fall in tax earnings.
Who is Tracey Crouch?
The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, considering that 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 actually worked for different Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election
She had her very first kid in 2016 and is thought 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 government of "capitulating to the gaming industry".
He applauded Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over good".
MPs from all sides of your home participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it needs to be talked about as part of the Finance Bill later this month.
Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
He informed the BBC: "There are lots of people whose lives have been damaged by this dependency ... We require to do this extremely quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's not ideal."
Labour has informed the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to try and generate the changes next April.
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