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

sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over ‘hold-up’ to wagering crackdown

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over “hold-ups” to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting 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 stated pressing back the date was “unjustifiable” and it might cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: “Politicians reoccur however concepts stick with us forever.”

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had actually been “no delay in bringing forward this important step”.

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting devices

‘ I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting devices’

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has denied Labour that MPs had been led to think 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 said: “Unfortunately, implementation of these modifications are now being delayed 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 decrease 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 delay is unjustifiable.”

She included: “It is a reality of federal government that ministers need to comply with collective duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your desires relating to your own portfolio.”

‘God bless’

Among those applauding her on social networks, 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 campaign but for sticking up for her concepts”.

Fixed-odds wagering terminals produce ₤ 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, individuals can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the makers let gamers lose money too quickly, resulting in addiction and social, mental and monetary problems.

But bookmakers have actually warned the cut in stakes could result in thousands of outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into result quicker than April 2020 and “had agreed that the changes should 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 same time as changes to duty charged on gaming firms based abroad however running in the UK.

The federal government says co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would suggest the government would not be struck by a fall in tax earnings.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, because 2010

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

She is understood for her opposition to fox searching and her love of football – she is a certified 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, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election

She had her 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 implicated the government of “capitulating to the gaming industry”.

He praised Ms Crouch’s “bold and principled choice” and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright “should be completely ashamed” of prioritising “corporate interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over great”.

MPs from all sides of your house signed up with in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it needs to be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: “There are lots of people whose lives have actually been harmed by this addiction … We need to do this really 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 best.”

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