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

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices.

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 pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of problem gamblers.

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 hold-up in advancing this essential measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering devices'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has actually rejected Labour claims that MPs had been led to think the cut would enter 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 dedications made by others to those with registered interests.

This Twitter post can not be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or attempt a various browser.View initial content on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Skip twitter post by Tracey Crouch

Allow Twitter content?

This post includes content provided by Twitter. We request your authorization before anything is filled, as they may be utilizing cookies and other technologies. You might want to check out Twitter's cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To see this material choose 'accept and continue'.

Accept and continue

The BBC is not responsible for the material of external websites.

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 makers.

"In addition, 2 individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, for that factor as much as any other, I think this delay is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a reality of federal government that ministers need to follow collective duty and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your wishes associating with your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those applauding her on social networks, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and courageous" adding: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."

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

Fixed-odds wagering terminals create ₤ 1.8 bn in earnings a year for the sports betting industry, 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 casino video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners say the makers let gamers lose money too quickly, causing addiction and social, mental and monetary issues.

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

In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had actually listened to those who desired the modifications to come into impact faster than April 2020 and "had concurred that the changes ought to be in place 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 same time as changes 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 mean the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax income.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, given that 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 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 different Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning 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 praised Ms Crouch's "brave and principled decision" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "ought to be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over excellent".

MPs from all sides of the House signed up with in his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said 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 plenty of people whose lives have actually been harmed by this dependency ... We require to do this extremely rapidly, as quickly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling market will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's not ideal."

Labour has actually informed the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the changes next April.