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

sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over ‘delay’ 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 wagering makers.

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 problem bettors.

She tweeted: “Politicians reoccur however principles stay with us forever.”

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had been “no delay in advancing this important measure”.

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

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

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually rejected Labour declares that MPs had been led to think the cut would come into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They suggested the cut had been meant to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: “Unfortunately, application of these modifications are now being postponed 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 announcement to minimize stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these devices.

“In addition, 2 individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, for that reason as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable.”

She included: “It is a fact of federal government that ministers should follow collective responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your wishes 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 courageous” including: “May God bless her dedication to doing right.”

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she “is worthy of big credit not just for her campaign but for sticking up for her principles”.

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

Currently, people can bet approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates state the machines let gamers lose money too rapidly, leading to dependency and social, mental and financial problems.

But bookmakers have actually alerted the cut in stakes could cause thousands of outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had actually listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into effect quicker than April 2020 and “had actually concurred that the modifications ought to be in location within the year – by October 2019”.

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the change to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the very same time as modifications to responsibility charged on gaming companies based abroad however running in the UK.

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

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, since 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 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 numerous Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her very first kid in 2016 and is believed 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 federal government of “capitulating to the gaming industry”.

He praised Ms Crouch’s “courageous and principled decision” and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright “need to be thoroughly embarrassed” of prioritising “corporate interests over victims, revenues over public health and greed over great”.

MPs from all sides of the House participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it ought to be gone over as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He told the BBC: “There are a lot of people whose lives have been damaged by this addiction … We require to do this very quickly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as a result 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.