Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over ‘Hold-up’ To Betting Crackdown

sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over ‘delay’ to wagering crackdown

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over “hold-ups” to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers.

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 pressing back the date was “unjustifiable” and it could cost the lives of problem gamblers.

She tweeted: “Politicians reoccur however concepts stay with us permanently.”

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned but there had been “no delay in advancing this crucial step”.

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

‘ I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers’

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has actually rejected Labour claims that MPs had been led to think the cut would enter 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, application of these changes are now being postponed till October 2019 due to commitments made by others to those with signed up interests.

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“From the time of the statement to lower stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

“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 government that ministers must abide by cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your dreams relating to 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” adding: “May God bless her dedication to doing right.”

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she “should have huge credit not just for her campaign however for sticking up for her principles”.

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

Currently, people can bet approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the devices let players lose cash too quickly, leading to dependency and social, psychological and monetary issues.

But bookies have actually warned the cut in stakes could lead to countless outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into impact 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 modification to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the same time as modifications to task charged on gaming companies based abroad however running in the UK.

The federal government says co-ordinating the date of the two changes would indicate the government would not be hit by a fall in tax income.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, considering that 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 worked for various Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her very first child in 2016 and is believed to have actually been the first Tory minister to take maternity leave

But in the on Thursday, Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson implicated the federal government of “capitulating to the sports betting market”.

He praised Ms Crouch’s “courageous and principled choice” and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright “ought to be completely ashamed” of prioritising “business interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over great”.

MPs from all sides of the House participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it should be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He told the BBC: “There are lots of individuals whose lives have actually been damaged by this dependency … We require to do this really quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That’s not right.”

Labour has actually told the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to attempt and generate the changes next April.