sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to sports betting crackdown
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1 November 2018
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sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually over "delays" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices.

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 might cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however principles remain with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had actually resigned but there had been "no hold-up in bringing forward this crucial procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting makers'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

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

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, execution of these modifications are now being postponed up until 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 tragically 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 included: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers need to stick to collective 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 applauding her on social networks, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin 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 principles".

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 government.

Currently, people can bet up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the machines let gamers lose cash too rapidly, resulting in dependency and social, mental and financial issues.

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

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into effect earlier than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the changes ought to remain 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 very same time as changes to responsibility charged on gaming firms based abroad but operating in the UK.

The government states co-ordinating the date of the two changes would imply the government would not be struck by a fall in tax revenue.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has 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 qualified 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 actually worked for various Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election

She had her very first kid in 2016 and is thought 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 government of "capitulating to the gambling market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over good".

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

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
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He informed the BBC: "There are plenty of individuals whose lives have been damaged by this addiction ... We need to do this extremely rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's not right."

Labour has informed the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the changes next April.