sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to wagering crackdown
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1 November 2018
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sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines.

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

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

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but concepts remain with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had resigned however there had been "no hold-up in advancing this essential measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The has denied Labour claims 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 suggested the cut had been intended to be presented in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being delayed 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 decrease stakes and its execution, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, two people will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, for that reason as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers need to stick to cumulative duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus 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 brave" including: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

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

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

Currently, individuals can wager as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the devices let players lose money too quickly, causing dependency and social, psychological and monetary problems.

But bookies have warned the cut in stakes might lead to thousands of outlets closing.

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into result earlier than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the modifications should be in location 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 gambling firms based abroad but running in the UK.

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

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, considering that 2010
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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 various Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her very first kid in 2016 and is believed to have been the first Tory minister to take maternity leave
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But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson implicated the government of "capitulating to the sports betting industry".
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He praised Ms Crouch's "bold and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be completely ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over good".

MPs from all sides of the House signed up with in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it must be talked about as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.
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Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are plenty of people whose lives have actually been harmed by this dependency ... We require to do this very rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's not best."

Labour has actually informed the BBC that they will put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to try and bring in the modifications next April.