sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to sports betting crackdown
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1 November 2018
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sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines.
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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 said pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however concepts stick with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had resigned however there had been "no delay in bringing forward this crucial measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually rejected Labour claims that MPs had been led to think the cut would come into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had been intended to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "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 statement to minimize stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.

"In addition, two people 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 truth of government that ministers need to stick to cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your wishes associating with your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those praising her on social networks, the Archbishop of Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and brave" adding: "May God bless her commitment 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 concepts".

Fixed-odds wagering terminals produce ₤ 1.8 bn in profits a year for the wagering market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.

Currently, individuals can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the makers let gamers lose money too rapidly, leading to dependency and social, mental and monetary problems.

But bookmakers have alerted the cut in stakes might cause thousands of outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had listened to those who desired the modifications to come into effect earlier than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the changes need to remain in location within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the modification to fixed-odds stakes would enter force next October at the exact same time as modifications to duty charged on sports betting companies based abroad however running in the UK.
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The government says co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would indicate the 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, since 2010

She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015

She is known for her opposition to fox searching 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 worked for numerous 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 government of "capitulating to the sports betting market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "bold and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of your home joined in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it must 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 individuals whose lives have actually been damaged by this dependency ... We need to do this really quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's wrong."

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