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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 maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines.

Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would come into force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch said pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue gamblers.

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

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had been "no delay in bringing forward this crucial procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting machines

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on machines'

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has rejected Labour declares that MPs had actually been led to believe the cut would enter 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 stated: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being postponed up until October 2019 due to commitments made by others to those with signed up interests.

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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the announcement to reduce stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, two individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, for that factor as much as any other, I believe this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers need to comply with cumulative responsibility 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 praising her on social media, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and courageous" adding: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "should have big credit not just for her project but for sticking up for her concepts".

Fixed-odds wagering terminals create ₤ 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, individuals can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the makers let gamers lose money too rapidly, resulting in addiction and social, mental and financial issues.

But bookmakers have cautioned the cut in stakes might cause countless outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into impact sooner than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the modifications must remain in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter force next October at the exact same time as modifications to duty charged on sports betting firms based abroad however operating in the UK.

The federal government says co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would suggest the government would not be struck by a fall in tax income.

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 known for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a competent FA coach

Grade 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 different Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her very first kid 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 accused the federal government of "capitulating to the sports betting industry".

He praised Ms Crouch's "bold and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, profits 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 discussed as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
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He told the BBC: "There are plenty of individuals whose lives have been damaged by this dependency ... We need to do this extremely rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's wrong."

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