sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to wagering crackdown
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1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would come into force in October 2019.
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Ms Crouch stated pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of problem bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but concepts stick with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned but there had actually been "no delay in advancing this crucial measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers
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' I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting devices'

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has denied Labour claims that MPs had 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 modifications are now being delayed up until October 2019 due to dedications made by others to those with registered interests.

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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

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

"In addition, two 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 delay is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers should adhere to cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your wishes connecting to your own portfolio."
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'God bless'

Among those applauding her on social media, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and bold" including: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

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

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

Currently, people can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the devices let players lose money too rapidly, causing dependency and social, psychological and monetary issues.

But bookies have actually alerted the cut in stakes could result in thousands of outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had actually listened to those who desired the modifications to come into impact earlier than April 2020 and "had concurred that the changes should 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 into force next October at the very same time as changes to duty charged on gaming firms based abroad however operating in the UK.

The government says 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 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 searching and her love of football - she is a qualified FA coach

Grade 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 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 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 gaming industry".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over excellent".

MPs from all sides of the House participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it should be discussed 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 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 gaming industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's wrong."

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