1 Sports Minister Tracey Crouch Resigns over 'Delay' To Betting Crackdown
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sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to sports betting crackdown

1 November 2018
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sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers.

Chancellor Philip Hammond stated 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 could cost the lives of problem bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however concepts remain with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned but there had actually been "no delay in bringing forward this crucial step".
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High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has rejected Labour claims that MPs had actually been led to think the cut would come into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had been planned 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 dedications 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 statement to reduce stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these makers.

"In addition, two people will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, because of that as much as any other, I think this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers must abide by cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your dreams connecting to your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those praising her on social networks, 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 "deserves substantial credit not just for her campaign but for sticking up for her principles".

Fixed-odds wagering terminals produce ₤ 1.8 bn in income a year for the sports betting 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 roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the makers let players lose money too rapidly, leading to addiction and social, psychological and monetary problems.

But bookmakers have alerted the cut in stakes could cause thousands of outlets closing.
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In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into result faster than April 2020 and "had concurred that the modifications must remain in location within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the change to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the very same time as modifications to responsibility charged on gambling firms based abroad however operating in the UK.

The federal government states the date of the two modifications would suggest the government would not be hit by a fall in tax revenue.

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 hunting and her love of football - she is a qualified 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 worked for numerous Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her first kid in 2016 and is believed to have actually 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 sports betting market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over good".

MPs from all sides of your house participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it should be talked about as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
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He informed the BBC: "There are a lot of individuals whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction ... We need to do this very quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not ideal."

Labour has actually told the BBC that they will put down a change to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the modifications next April.