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 actually resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices.

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 might cost the lives of issue gamblers.

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

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had resigned however there had actually been "no delay in bringing forward this important procedure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers

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

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government 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 recommended the cut had actually been intended to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being delayed up until October 2019 due to commitments 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 minimize stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

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

She included: "It is a truth of government that ministers need to stick to cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your desires relating to 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 bold" adding: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

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

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

Currently, people can wager as much as ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the devices let players lose cash too quickly, leading to dependency and social, mental and financial problems.

But bookmakers have cautioned the cut in stakes could result in countless outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM said the government had actually listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into impact sooner than April 2020 and "had actually concurred 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 very same time as changes to task charged on sports betting companies based abroad however running in the UK.

The federal government says co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would suggest the government would not be struck by a fall in tax income.
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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 known for her opposition to fox searching and her love of football - she is a certified 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 numerous Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for 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 sports betting industry".

He praised Ms Crouch's "bold and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over excellent".
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MPs from all sides of your house participated in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it ought to 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 people whose lives have been damaged by this addiction ... We need to do this very quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's not best."

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