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sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to sports betting crackdown

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 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 pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however principles stay with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had been "no delay in advancing this essential measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering makers'

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

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

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

"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 think this hold-up is unjustifiable."
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She included: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers need to stick to collective duty and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your wishes connecting 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 brave" adding: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

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

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

Currently, individuals can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the devices let players lose cash too rapidly, causing dependency and social, mental and financial problems.

But bookmakers have warned the cut in stakes might cause countless outlets closing.

In her response to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the federal government had actually listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into impact earlier than April 2020 and "had agreed that the changes need to remain in place within the year - by October 2019".

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

The government says co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would imply the federal government would not be hit by a fall in tax earnings.

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 understood for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a certified 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 standing for election

She had her very first kid 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 government of "capitulating to the gambling market".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "bold and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over good".

MPs from all sides of your home took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it needs to be talked about 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 a lot of individuals whose lives have been damaged by this dependency ... We require to do this very quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's wrong."

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