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 sports betting makers.

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

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

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however principles stick with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned but there had actually been "no delay in bringing forward this important measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering devices'

sports betting machine stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

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

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these modifications are now being delayed until October 2019 due to dedications made by others to those with registered interests.

This Twitter post can not be displayed in your browser. Please make it possible for Javascript or attempt a various browser.View initial material on Twitter
The BBC is not accountable for the material of external websites.

Skip twitter post by Tracey Crouch

Allow Twitter material?

This article includes material provided by Twitter. We ask for your consent before anything is loaded, as they may be utilizing cookies and other technologies. You might wish to check out Twitter's cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content pick 'accept and continue'.

Accept and continue

The BBC is not accountable for the content of external sites.

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

She included: "It is a truth of government that ministers should adhere to collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your dreams associating with your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those praising her on social networks, 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 "deserves substantial credit not just for her campaign but for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, people can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the machines let gamers lose cash too rapidly, causing addiction and social, mental and monetary issues.

But bookies have warned the cut in stakes could cause countless outlets closing.

In her action 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 concurred that the changes ought to remain in place within the year - by October 2019".

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

The government says co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would suggest the 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, considering that 2010

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

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 different Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before standing for election

She had her first child in 2016 and is believed to have actually been the 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 "bold and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be completely ashamed" of prioritising "business interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over good".

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

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are a lot of individuals whose lives have been damaged by this addiction ... We need to do this very rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this hold-up. That's not right."

Labour has actually told the BBC that they will put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to attempt and generate the modifications next April.