sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'hold-up' to sports betting 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 maximum stakes for fixed-odds wagering machines.

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

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

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go however concepts stick with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was disappointed Ms Crouch had resigned however there had been "no hold-up in bringing forward this crucial measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines'

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually denied Labour claims that MPs had 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 planned to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, execution 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 statement to decrease 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 issues and, for that reason as much as any other, I think this hold-up is unjustifiable."

She added: "It is a fact of federal government that ministers must abide by collective obligation and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your dreams relating to your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those applauding 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 "should have substantial credit not simply for her project however for sticking up for her principles".

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

Currently, people can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the devices let players lose cash too rapidly, causing addiction and social, mental and monetary issues.

But bookmakers have cautioned the cut in stakes might lead to thousands of outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had actually listened to those who desired the modifications to come into impact sooner than April 2020 and "had agreed that the modifications ought to be in location within the year - by October 2019".

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

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the 2 modifications would indicate the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax profits.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has 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 hunting and her love of football - she is a competent FA coach

Grade school informed at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and from Hull University

She had actually worked for various Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her very first kid in 2016 and is thought to have 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 gambling market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "bold and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "should be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, profits over public health and greed over great".

MPs from all sides of the House took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it must be talked about 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 individuals whose lives have been damaged by this addiction ... We need to do this extremely rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's wrong."

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